HOME DEPARTMENT

Data Protection

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department plans to put in place to protect personal data under the draft Communications Data Bill; and whether she proposes that the Government will be liable for any data stolen.

James Brokenshire: Communications data retained under the proposals in the draft Bill would be retained by the companies on whom a notice has been served by the Secretary of State. As is the case for data held by companies under existing legislation, retained data should be held in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 and, therefore, companies would be responsible for protecting personal data from loss, theft or unauthorised disclosure. Any communications data acquired from communications service providers by public authorities is the responsibility of the public authority concerned and would also be subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act. Compliance with the Data Protection Act is overseen by the Information Commissioner. In particular, the commissioner would keep under review the security of communications data held by companies under the Bill and its destruction at the end of the retention period.
	Companies would also be required to ensure that data is held in a manner accredited to Government information assurance standards, and is protected against accidental or unlawful destruction, accidental loss and unauthorised access or disclosure. These proposals would enable the Government to continue investing in the security of communications data, as they have previously.

Human Trafficking: Third Sector

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the role of the Big Society initiative in tackling human trafficking.

Mark Harper: holding answer 5 September 2012
	The Government have supported a number of initiatives to raise public awareness of human trafficking and encourage community involvement in combating the crime.
	Non-governmental organisations are engaged through the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group (IDMG), which coordinates work on human trafficking across the UK. In future the Group will perform the National Rapporteur function in compliance with the EU directive on trafficking in human beings, analyse trends in human trafficking and produce an annual report on how the UK is complying with its national and international obligations.
	There has been no formal assessment of the role of the Big Society initiative in tackling human trafficking.

Immigration

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the practice of her Department to inform the Department of Work and Pensions when a migrant in possession of a national insurance number no longer has valid leave to remain in the UK.

Mark Harper: The national insurance number is an administrative reference number used by the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs for benefits, tax and national insurance contribution purposes, and does not provide a migrant with automatic access to benefits or employment. The UK Border Agency does not collect data on national insurance numbers held by migrants, but does share data with the Department for Work and Pensions where necessary to establish a person's entitlement to benefits.

Immigration: Married People

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of UK citizens who will marry abroad and re-enter the UK accompanied by non-EU spouses who have obtained the requisite marriage visa in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014.

Mark Harper: When the Government changed the immigration rules concerning migration by families in June 2012, they published an impact assessment. This estimates the numbers coming through the route in future compared with now, as a consequence of the policy changes. In summary it estimates a reduction in family route visa grants by between 13,700-18,500 visa grants per annum. This includes British citizens returning to the UK with a family. As the rules apply equally to partners of British citizens (and persons settled here) regardless of whether they marry in the UK or abroad, the impact assessment does not make a separate estimate of those who marry abroad.

Immigration: Married People

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK citizens who had married abroad re-entered the UK accompanied by non-EU spouses who had obtained the requisite marriage visa in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) 2011.

Mark Harper: The UK Border Agency does not record the number of UK nationals crossing the border and whose non-EU spouses hold marriage visas.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 24 July 2012 on UK entry visas for the London 2012 Olympics.

Mark Harper: The Minister for Crime and Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire), replied to the hon. Member on 6 September 2012.

Metropolitan Police: Criminal Records

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serving police officers in the Metropolitan Police have received a criminal record and continue to serve as police officers.

Damian Green: This information is not collected by the Home Office.

Police National Computer: Data Protection

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will introduce sanctions for police officers who gain unauthorised access to the police national computer.

Damian Green: Access to the police national computer (PNC) is subject to rigorous assurance procedures. Safeguards are in place to detect misuse of the PNC by police officers and staff. Forces conduct regular audits of officer and staff usage. Any officer found to be misusing the PNC will be subject to disciplinary procedures that may include dismissal and/or criminal proceedings.

Police: Criminal Records

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to prevent the recruitment of police officers with a criminal record.

Damian Green: The public is entitled to expect that the police service recruits only those with proven integrity. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has issued the National Vetting Policy for the Police Community to forces which advises how to progress applicants with convictions. Final decisions are a matter for the force concerned.
	I will meet ACPO to see what more can be done to ensure that the integrity of those serving with the police is beyond question and whether the current arrangements around vetting could be strengthened.

Police: Disciplinary Proceedings

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to prevent police officers from avoiding disciplinary hearings by retiring on pensioned medical grounds before those hearings have taken place.

Damian Green: Police officers may be required to retire on grounds of ill-health under the relevant police pension regulations if they are assessed by a medical practitioner as being permanently disabled for the ordinary duties of a police officer. This assessment should be entirely independent of any disciplinary matters.
	The power to require officers to retire on grounds of ill-health is a matter for chief officers and their police authorities.

Police: Firearms

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms were lost by police forces in England and Wales in the latest period for which figures are available.

Damian Green: Police forces have in place stringent controls, laid down in the Association of Chief Police Officers guidance, for the carriage and storage of firearms. The loss of police issue firearms is a rare occurrence.
	Police forces in England and Wales are not required to submit this information for central collection by the Home Office.

Police: Retirement

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to prevent police officers who leave the police service on medical grounds from being re-employed as civilians in (a) the same force or (b) another police force within the same year.

Damian Green: The employment of police officers and police staff is a matter for chief officers and their police authorities, applying appropriate selection and vetting procedures.

Police: Training

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training police officers receive on dealing with people with mental health issues.

Damian Green: On joining the Police all officers undertake a two year initial Police Learning and Development Programme. Within this programme police officers and police community support officers are provided with training in dealing with people who are vulnerable through disability, mental ill health or learning disabilities.

Prisoner Escapes

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the total cost incurred by police forces in the apprehension of escapees and abscondees from prison in the last year for which figures are available; and whether the Prison Service compensates police forces for any such costs incurred.

Damian Green: holding answer 5 September 2012
	The Home Office does not hold information on the costs incurred by forces during the arrest of an absconder or escaper.
	There is no formal compensation agreement between the police and the Prison Service for any such costs incurred.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the largest number of people is about whom a communications data request under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, relating to a single incident, has been made (a) since the passage of the Act and (b) in the last year.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The Home Office does not hold statistics on the number of people that communications data requests relate to. The Interception of Communications Commissioner's Office provides independent oversight of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and collects statistics from public authorities.

UK Border Agency

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employees there are in each local immigration team of the UK Border Agency.

Mark Harper: The UK Border Agency is currently completing a capability review of its Local Immigration Teams to provide a clearer picture of current capabilities, strengths and weaknesses; and to make recommendations, including staffing, for the future of the local teams that will be charged with delivery of the agency's enforcement objectives.
	As of April 2012 local management information shows the following staffing by Local Immigration Team:
	
		
			 Local Immigration Team Full Time Equivalent 
			 North Central London 61.52 
			 Barnet and Enfield, Hackney and Tower Hamlets 61.55 
			 Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge 31.73 
			 Bexley, Greenwich, Lambeth and Southwark 51.24 
			 Newham and Waltham Forest 48.47 
			 Croydon 75.57 
			 Wandsworth, Merton and Sutton 61.35 
			 Lewisham and Bromley 44.3 
			 Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea 34.89 
			 Hounslow, Richmond and Kingston 25.31 
			 Harrow and Hillingdon 29.55 
			 Ealing 39.22 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 33.9 
			 Berks/Surrey 61.05 
			 Sussex 29.4 
			 Kent 69.28 
			 Staffordshire 9.74 
			 Cambridge and East Northants 17.81 
			 E Midlands and Boston 47.14 
			 Suffolk 13 
			 Norfolk 14 
			 Essex and Herts 20.86 
			 Bedfordshire and West Northants 20.78 
			 West Midlands 70.5 
			 West Mercia 18.31 
			 West Yorkshire 64.93 
			 South Yorkshire 57.69 
			 Humberside 46.05 
			 Northumbria 60.3 
			 Teeside 23.41 
			 Merseyside 79.18 
			 Manchester 87.64 
			 Edinburgh 8.73 
			 Aberdeen 6 
			 Northern Ireland 18 
			 Cardiff 14.8 
			 North Wales 12 
			 South Wales 11.81 
			 Bristol 35.28 
			 Dorset 9.97

UK Border Agency

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for travel documents submitted to the UK Border Agency since May 2010 are still under consideration by the Agency.

Mark Harper: The data requested are not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols.
	However, the Home Office publishes immigration statistics on a quarterly and annual basis, a copy of which can be found in the Library of the House. The latest published statistics can also be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q2-2012/

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Flooding

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer on additional resources to the Fire and Rescue Services in (i) Barnsley Central constituency, (ii) South Yorkshire and (iii) England and Wales at times of severe flooding.

Richard Benyon: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local and Government and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on additional resources to the Fire and Rescue Services in Barnsley Central, South Yorkshire and England and Wales in times of severe flooding.
	The roles of the police and other emergency services, including those available through local authorities, during emergencies of all kinds are set out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The Act provides for category 1 responders, including the Environment Agency, the police and local authorities to maintain plans to deal with emergencies, which amongst other things, threaten life or property. These requirements also include ensuring that the services can continue to perform their functions in an emergency. The Act does not specify the individual functions of each responder, nor which service should take the overall lead in any particular circumstances. Nevertheless, local councils and other responders may decide for the purpose of maintaining contingency plans in accordance with the Act to define the roles of the various responders by agreement.
	DEFRA will continue to maintain the current capacity to plan for, and manage emergencies, and operate flood defences.

Organic Food

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what fee is payable for a licence to sell organic meat; and if he will make a statement.

David Heath: DEFRA delegates the certification of organic operators to nine approved UK organic Control Bodies who set their own charges for certification.
	A full list of the DEFRA-approved organic Control Bodies, can be found on our website at:
	http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/growing/organic/standards/certbodies/approved.htm

PRIME MINISTER

International Assistance

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to establish the high-level panel on developing post-Millennium Development Goals.

David Cameron: The UN Secretary-General announced the members of the high-level panel on 31 July. The panel will hold its first meeting at the end of September.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to respond to (a) the letter of 27 June 2012 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay signed by a further 100 hon. Members on a referendum on the EU and (b) the subsequent email of 30 August 2012 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay.

David Cameron: I met my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Baron) on 9 July in order to discuss his letter and the issues it raised. A formal reply to the letter will be sent shortly.

TRANSPORT

Airports

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the level of runway capacity in (a) England and (b) the UK required to maintain connectivity with emerging markets; and whether the Government have any plans to extend capacity in the next (i) five, (ii) 10 or (iii) 15 years at any UK airport.

Simon Burns: The Department for Transport's latest estimates of airport capacity and air passenger demand forecasts were published in August last year in ‘UK Aviation Forecasts 2011’.
	The central forecasts indicate that, with no new runways, the three largest London airports will be at capacity by 2030. However, the forecasts do not provide an assessment of the level of runway capacity required to maintain connectivity with emerging markets.
	‘UK Aviation Forecasts 2011’ is available on the Department's website at the following address:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/uk-aviation-forecasts-2011

Airports: G4S

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which UK airports currently hold contracts with G4S for security services.

Simon Burns: The Department for Transport does not hold this information; the provision of security services is a commercial matter for airport operators.
	However all airports must operate in accordance with the National Aviation Security programme.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the Chief Executive, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has signed replies to hon. Members writing on behalf of constituents in the last 12 months.

Stephen Hammond: In the period April 2011 to March 2012 the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency received 1,597 direct items of correspondence from hon. Members writing on behalf of constituents. It is normal practice for the chief executive to ask a senior manager who has responsibility for the area of work to investigate the case and reply on his behalf.

Equality Act 2010

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to implement section 165 of the Equality Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: I am sympathetic to the case for commencing section 165 of the Equality Act 2010, but our overall assessment has not yet been completed. I intend to make an announcement in the near future.

Farmers: Driving

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people his Department employs to carry out checks on papers and other records relating to driving hours kept by farmers and their employees; and what the cost of this employment was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen Hammond: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency currently employs 220 full-time equivalent traffic examiners (TEs) working on traffic enforcement. A TE's role is to check drivers' hours, both at the roadside and at operators' premises, for all types of vehicles. It is not possible to extract the cost incurred for checking drivers' hours specifically for drivers of agricultural vehicles without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Working Hours

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to introduce an exemption from maximum driving hours for drivers of vehicles carrying live animals in circumstances similar to the existing exemption for drivers of vehicles carrying dead animals; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: The current exemption from drivers' hours rules for the transportation of live animals is set at EU level and includes a maximum radius of 50 km. However, there are currently proposals at EU level, which the Government is supporting, to increase this limit to 100 km.

Motorcycles: Accidents

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of people using quad bikes who have been (a) killed and (b) injured (i) on the highway and (ii) off-road in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy that quad bikes should not be permitted to use the highway without the vehicle being licensed and the driver (a) holding a driving licence and (b) third party insurance; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: It is already the case that quad bikes must fully meet type approval, registration and vehicle excise statutory requirements before being used on the highway. The rider must also hold the relevant category of driving licence which will depend on the size and weight of the bike and must have at least third party insurance for use on the roads.
	The information requested on quad bike accidents cannot be identified separately. Quad bikes involved in reported personal injury accidents are recorded as part of the 'other motor vehicle' category along with vehicles such as ambulances, fire engines, road maintenance vehicles and motorised wheel chairs.
	Furthermore, information for accidents on private roads or car parks or off-road is not held by the Department.

Official Cars

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what makes of car there are in the Government car service fleet.

Stephen Hammond: There are 92 vehicles in the Government car service fleet of the following makes:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Jaguar XJ 20 
			 Land Rover Discovery 4 
			 Toyota Avensis 10 
			 Toyota Prius 41 
			 Honda Civic 2 
			 Ford Galaxy 6 
			 Ford Mondeo 1 
			 Vauxhall Vectra 1 
			 Hyundai Santa Fe 4 
			 Mitsubishi iMiEV 2 
			 Ford Transit 1

Railways: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for the completion of electrification of (a) the Great Western Main Line to (i) Cardiff and (ii) Swansea and (b) each of the branches of the Valleys Lines.

Simon Burns: The current plan for the completion of electrification of the Great Western Main Line to Cardiff is by the December 2017 timetable change date and it is expected that Swansea will be electrified for the May 2018 timetable change. The newly announced Valley Lines electrification project has not yet been sufficiently developed by Network Rail for a firm date to be available yet but it is expected to follow the GW Main Line with energisation in the calendar years 2018 and 2019.

Rapid Transit Systems

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will list the locations of each monorail in the UK; when each monorail opened; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on the provision of monorails; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what plans he has to develop monorail transport in the UK; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how much funding his Department made available for the development of monorails in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: There are a number of monorail type systems in various locations in England, including Gatwick Airport and numerous theme parks. The Department for Transport does not, however, hold a central record of these systems and any information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	The Department for Transport has not held any discussions with local transport authorities in regards to implementing monorail systems. Whether or not an innovative system, such as a monorail, has a potential to be implemented is first and foremost a local decision based on what the identified transport needs are in any particular area. If a need is identified then it would be for local authorities to develop a sound proposal on the basis of meeting the identified transport need and to demonstrate that such a system would offer value for money for the taxpayer.
	The Government do not provide direct funding to local authorities for developing monorail systems. It would be for the relevant authority to undertake any feasibility studies at their own cost.

River Thames: Transport

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what plans he has to work with the Mayor of London on use of the River Thames for (a) passenger and (b) freight traffic; what discussions he has had with the Mayor of London on that subject since May 2010; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to promote greater use of the River Thames for (a) passenger and (b) freight traffic; what estimate he has made of the amount of (i) passenger and (ii) freight traffic on the River Thames in each year since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: Under the devolution arrangements introduced in the Greater London Authority Act 1999, the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) are responsible for transport in the capital. Therefore, it would be for TfL and ultimately the Mayor to consider any matters relating to river services in London.
	Since May 2010 the former Secretary of State had no discussions with the Mayor of London on the use of the River Thames for passenger and freight traffic. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning), discussed Thames water freight at a meeting with Peter Hendy, London Transport Commissioner, on 10 July 2012.
	Data on freight and passenger movements on the Thames have not yet been published for 2011.
	In 2010 there were 6,293,618 passengers on the Thames. This figure includes the following routes:
	Embankment—Tower—Greenwich—QE2
	Westminster—Greenwich—Thames Barrier
	Westminster—Hampton Court
	Westminster—Tower—Greenwich
	Westminster—St Katharine’s
	Thames Clippers (Monday to Friday peak)
	Tate to Tate
	Woolwich Free Ferry.
	In 2010 15.68 million tonnes of freight were lifted on the River Thames which accounted for 0.55 billion-tonne kilometres (making it the busiest inland waterway in the UK in terms of freight).

Roads: Accidents

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicle collisions were reported in the most recent five years for which figures are available; how many such collisions resulted in (a) death and (b) injury; and how many persons considered responsible for such collisions there were in each age group in each such year.

Stephen Hammond: Information collected by the Department on road accidents in Great Britain is limited to accidents reported to the police and where at least one person sustained an injury. Therefore, there is no information on the total number of vehicle collisions.
	The information requested on reported road collisions, in Great Britain, for the last five years for which data are available is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Number 
			  Collisions involving at least one fatality Only injured(1) casualties 
			 2007 2,714 179,401 
			 2008 2,341 168,250 
			 2009 2,057 161,497 
			 2010 1,731 152,683 
			 2011 1,797 149,677 
			 (1) Injured includes all casualties who sustained either a serious or slight injury in a road accident. 
		
	
	Information on persons considered responsible for these reported collisions is not held by the Department. However, information is available on the number of reported personal injury road accidents involving a motor vehicle driver by age of the driver. This information is presented for each of the last five years for which data are available, in the following table:
	
		
			 Number 
			  Age of driver 
			  17 to 24 25 to 29 30 to 34 35 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70+ 
			 2007 61,795 33,347 31,394 32,764 56,663 34,816 18,192 11,332 
			 2008 56,795 30,976 27,667 29,164 53,399 31,802 17,218 11,067 
			 2009 53,656 29,648 26,659 26,636 51,183 31,525 17,275 11,189 
			 2010 46,706 26,926 25,318 24,612 48,978 31,192 16,762 11,056 
			 2011 44,154 25,957 24,762 23,062 47,682 30,888 17,137 11,568

Roads: Safety

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce the number of road casualties.

Stephen Hammond: Since the publication of the Strategic Framework for Road Safety in May 2011, the Department has taken a number of the steps to reduce the number of road casualties, as envisaged in the framework. They include steps on all three of the thematic chapters of the framework.
	Firstly on ‘improving road safety together’, the road safety comparison site, road safety observatory, speed limit assessment tool and a revised speed limit circular are all well advanced and on track for completion during the next few months.
	Secondly on 'education' we have already made changes to the driving tests and changes to the educational scheme for drink drive offenders are progressing towards implementation.
	Thirdly on 'targeted enforcement and sanctions', we have consulted about the introduction of fixed penalty notices for careless driving and increased penalty fines. The bill containing enabling legislation to create a new specific drug driving offence is being considered in the House of Lords.

Rolling Stock

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when he expects work to add pantograph/transformer cars to Class 220 Voyager diesel-electric multiple units to be completed; and how many full-time equivalent jobs such work will generate;
	(2)  what representations he has made to Bombardier and Alstom on the addition of pantograph/transformer cars to Class 220 Voyager diesel-electric multiple units;
	(3)  what the cost to the public purse will be of adding pantograph/transformer cars to Class 220 Voyager diesel-electric multiple units.

Simon Burns: An announcement about the E Voyager project will be made in due course.

Severn River Crossing

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had regarding future ownership of the Severn Bridges.

Stephen Hammond: Officials are in regular contact with the Welsh Government over a variety of transport matters, including the future of the Severn Crossing. However no decisions have been made about the future of the crossing after the existing concession ends.

Taxis: Wheelchairs

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to bring into force the provision of section 165 of the Equality Act 2010 that requires taxi and mini cab drivers to accept and assist wheelchair users at no extra charge.

Norman Baker: I am sympathetic to the case for commencing section 165 of the Equality Act 2010, but our overall assessment has not yet been completed. I intend to make an announcement in the near future.

Travel: Costs

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate his Department has made of the comparative cost to the passenger of domestic (a) air and (b) rail travel; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: No recent estimates have been made of the comparative cost to the passenger of domestic air and rail travel.

West Coast Railway Line

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for the introduction of new services to Shrewsbury, Blackpool and Bolton under the new West Coast Mainline franchise.

Simon Burns: As a result of a legal challenge, which the Government intend to defend robustly, we have not yet signed the contract with First, and therefore the competition remains live. We expect to sign the contract soon.
	First West Coast Ltd is required by the franchise agreement to actively consider and use all reasonable endeavours to implement the following new services:
	between London Euston station and Blackpool North station from the 8 December 2013;
	between London Euston station and Shrewsbury station from the 11 December 2016; and
	between Preston station and Manchester Piccadilly station calling at Bolton from the 11 December 2016.
	These new services are subject to the necessary track access rights being granted by the Office of Rail Regulation.

West Coast Railway Line

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with FirstGroup on redundancies on the West Coast Mainline when it takes over the franchise.

Simon Burns: As a result of a legal challenge, which the Government intend to defend robustly, we have not yet signed the contract with First, and therefore the competition remains live. We expect to sign the contract soon.
	There have been no discussions with FirstGroup relating to redundancies on the West Coast Mainline.

West Coast Railway Line

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with First Group on priorities for investment on the West Coast Mainline; and whether such investment is conditional on growth in customer numbers.

Simon Burns: As a result of a legal challenge, which the Government intends to defend robustly, we have not yet signed the contract with First, and therefore the competition remains live. We expect to sign the contract soon.
	My officials held discussions with all four bidders for the franchise regarding their priorities for investment on the West Coast Mainline. The Franchise Agreement with First West Coast Limited includes a number of Committed Obligations relating to investment and the introduction of new train services.

West Coast Railway Line

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to announce his decision on Alliance Rail's open access bid on the West Coast Mainline.

Simon Burns: Applications to run open access services on the national rail network are judged by the Office of Rail Regulation, not by the Department for Transport.

DEFENCE

HMS Argyll

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects HMS Argyll to be retired from service.

Andrew Robathan: On present planning assumptions, HMS Argyll, the oldest Type 23 in the fleet, will be withdrawn from service in 2023 having entered service in 1992.

Procurement

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many procurement contracts have been placed by his Department with Scottish companies and companies based in Scotland in each of the last five years; and what the (a) nature and (b) value was of each such contract.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 5 September 2012
	The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Type 26 Frigates

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for the building and base porting of the proposed Type 26 frigates.

Andrew Robathan: The Type 26 Global Combat Ship (GCS) programme is in its assessment phase. The timetable for the build programme of the ships and where they will be based will be determined at the main investment decision, which is currently scheduled for the middle of the decade.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Apprentices

Robert Halfon: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission how many apprentices were employed by (a) the House of Commons and (b) its principal contractors in each of the last five years.

John Thurso: The Parliamentary Estates Directorate (PED) has directly employed three apprentices in the last five years (one individual from 2005-08, and two other individuals from 2006-10). The last group of apprentices completed their training in 2010 and have been appointed to permanent posts. An apprentice scheme is being developed by PED, with the intention that it recruits and trains people itself in order to backfill craftsmen as they leave.
	The Catering and Retail Services has offered a two-year apprentice chef scheme. A recruitment campaign was held in September 2011, but there were no successful applicants.
	The House of Commons does not hold information about the number of apprentices working for contractors, but PED is aware of three apprentices employed by a large contractor (Inviron) currently working on site on the Parliamentary Estate.
	The House plans to make further apprenticeships available in the coming months. The Director General, Facilities, would be happy to discuss this further with the hon. Member.

JUSTICE

Cats: Animal Welfare

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance is given to magistrates on sentencing for offences of deliberate poisoning of cats and other pets under section 7 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Jeremy Wright: The magistrates courts’ sentencing guidelines provides guidance on certain animal cruelty offences, namely those contained in sections 4, 8 and 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Sentencing guidelines do not necessarily cover all offences but focus on the more commonly committed offences. However, in dealing with all offences the courts will apply the same principles of determining seriousness by considering the culpability of the offender and the harm caused, or intended to be caused. The animal cruelty guideline and the overarching sentencing guideline on seriousness will also assist courts in determining the relevant aggravating and mitigating factors which should be taken into account in an individual case involving other types of animal cruelty where the offence is not covered by a specific guideline.

Courts: Translation Services

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many court hearings have been adjourned due to an appropriate interpreter not being supplied by Applied Language Solutions in the latest period for which figures are available.

Helen Grant: The Department does not centrally hold information on the number of all adjournments due to an interpreter not being provided. Information is available on the number of ineffective trials in Court Statistics Quarterly.
	These show that in January to March 2012 out of the 43,110 trials in the magistrates courts, 182 (3%) were ineffective due to interpreter availability. Of the 10,555 trials in the Crown Court, 10 (0.7%) were ineffective for the same reason.
	The Department also published statistics about the operation of the Framework Agreement with Applied Language Solutions (ALS) in May. These show that of the 26,059 initial requests for language services 11% were either cancelled by the Courts and Tribunal Service, or the person for whom the translation service has been requested failed to attend. Of the remaining 23,234 request ALS were able to fulfil 18,719 or 81% of the assignments. However, presenting a single quarterly figure hides a very marked trend over the three months of increasing success rates for requests for translators.
	During the first month (30 January to 29 February 2012) of the contract ALS were able to fulfil 65% of requests for translations services, this increased to 82% in March 2012, and increased to 90% in April 2012.
	All these statistics are published on the Department's website.

Disability Appeal Tribunal

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many clinically trained medical members there are of disability appeals tribunals in England;
	(2)  how many medical members of disability appeals tribunals resigned in each of the last two years.

Helen Grant: Medical practitioners sit as medically qualified panel members on a range of appeals in the First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), including Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, Vaccine, Damage, Compensation Recovery and some Employment and Support Allowance appeals where the Work Capability Assessment is a factor. They may be either registered or licensed to practise.
	Medically qualified panel members may be deployed across regional judicial boundaries and sit at venues across Great Britain. According to locally held management information there were 884 medically qualified panel members appointed to sit in the SSCS Tribunal as at 3 September 2012. Of these, seven are salaried and 877 are appointed to sit as required by the Tribunal on a fee-paid basis (of these 89 have recently been appointed and will be deployed following induction training).
	18 medically qualified panel members resigned between July 2010 and June 2011. 21 medically qualified panel members resigned between July 2011 and June 2012.

Employment Tribunals Service

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the administration costs resulting from the new employment tribunal fee liability structure;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people who would have been (a) liable for and (b) exempted from paying the proposed new employment tribunal fees in each of the last two years had the fee structure been in place at the time.

Helen Grant: The administration costs, expressed in 2012-13 prices, are estimated to be £3 million one-off implementation costs and £l million to £2 million recurring administrative costs per annum thereafter with fee income estimated at £7 million to £9 million per annum (gross of the recurring administrative costs). These estimates were included in the Impact Assessment that was published alongside the Government's response to the public consultation 'Charging Fees in the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal' published in July 2012.
	In answer to my hon. Friend’s second question, no estimates have been made for this period. However, in the Impact Assessment that was published alongside the Government's response to the consultation 'Charging Fees in the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal' published in July 2012, it was estimated that approximately 35% of the employment tribunal claimant population could be expected to qualify for a full fee remission when fees are due to be introduced from 2013. It was also noted that a further proportion of the claimant population could also qualify for a partial fee remission through the disposable income means test, the amount of which would be variable depending on disposal income and the level of the fee being charged.

Employment Tribunals Service: Compensation

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to improve the enforcement of tribunal compensatory awards.

Helen Grant: Following the “Solving Disputes in the County Court” consultation, on 9 February 2012, the Government set out a range of enforcement reforms aimed at improving the effectiveness of current enforcement processes in the civil courts in England and Wales, including the enforcement of tribunal compensatory awards. These measures include:
	allowing charging orders in applications where instalment orders are in place;
	introducing a minimum threshold of £1,000 in applications for orders for sale, limited to Consumer Credit Act debts;
	streamlining the charging order and third party debt order application processes to make them more efficient.

Matrimonial Causes Act 1973

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has any plans to reform the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 to provide for no fault divorce.

Helen Grant: The Government do not intend to amend the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 to change the grounds for divorce or the facts required to prove that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.
	The Government intend to reduce the burden on the courts by providing for uncontested divorces to be dealt with administratively. Draft legislation on family justice, including provisions on divorce, was published on 3 September 2012.

Prisoners: Adoption

Edward Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of the UK prison population is adopted.

Jeremy Wright: Information on the proportion of prisoners in all prison establishments in England and Wales who are adopted is not centrally available.
	The only available information comes from the Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) survey, a longitudinal cohort study of around 1,400 adult prisoners sentenced to between one month and four years in England and Wales in 2005 and 2006. Only 10 of the respondents reported living with adoptive parents when asked who they lived with as a child (up to the age of 17).

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the average length of time was for the Tribunals Service to administer a First-tier Tribunal social security and child support appeal in respect of employment and support allowance in each hearing venue in the west midlands in (a) 2010-11 and (b) the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what proportion of appeals to the Tribunals Service concerning (a) disability living allowance, (b) employment and support allowance, (c) income support, (d) jobseeker's allowance and (e) tax credits were successful in each hearing venue in the west midlands in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available;

Helen Grant: Appeals against decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions on an individual's entitlement to social security and child support are heard by the First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support, administered by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).
	The following table shows the average time taken from receipt of an employment and support allowance (ESA) appeal to disposal by the tribunal in 2010-11 and 2011-12 (the latest period for which figures are available) at the hearing venues in the west midlands.
	
		
			 ESA appeal times from receipt to disposal 
			 Weeks 
			 Hearing venue 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Birmingham 21.6 32.7 
			 Coventry 21.1 38.4 
			 Hereford 17.7 22.9 
			 Kidderminster 21.7 32.5 
			 Stoke 26.8 29.7 
			 Walsall (1)n/a 35.7 
			 Wolverhampton 24.5 36.5 
			 Worcester 16.2 23.8 
			 (1 )Walsall has been used as a hearing venue since January 2012. Source: The data are taken from management information. 
		
	
	HMCTS has continued to respond strongly to the significant increase in appeal cases received by the SSCS tribunal. Two additional hearing rooms in Leamington Spa and Nuneaton will be used from November 2012 to hear certain appeals which would currently be heard at the Coventry venue. This will reduce the number of appeals listed at Coventry and, therefore, help bring down the average waiting time for an appeal hearing. Other work to increase the tribunal's capacity in the west midlands includes the identification of additional venues in Birmingham (two additional hearing rooms from November 2012), Hereford and Worcester (increased use of existing rooms from December 2012), Wolverhampton (two additional hearing rooms from January 2013), Solihull (two additional hearing rooms from September 2012), Kidderminster (increasing use of venue to five days per week from Autumn 2012), Walsall (additional two hearing rooms in use from January and June 2012). It also includes recruitment of additional fee-paid judges and medical members and increased administrative resource, and administrative work to reallocate hearing to alternative nearby venues to ensure appeals are dealt with as quickly as possible.
	HMCTS is also working hard at a national level to increase the capacity of the SSCS tribunal and reduce waiting times. It has implemented a range of measures which include recruiting more judges and medical panel members; increasing administrative resources and streamlining processes; securing additional hearing venues across the country; increasing the number of cases listed in each tribunal session; running double shifts in its largest processing centre; running Saturday sittings in some of the busiest venues; and establishing a customer contact centre to deal with telephone inquiries.
	All of this is having a positive effect. The total number of disposals has increased significantly from 279,000 in 2009-10 to 380,000 in 2010-11, and 433,600 appeals in 2011-12, with the capacity for half a million disposals in 2012-13. Perhaps, most notably, the tribunal disposed of more appeals than it received in every month between January 2011 and February 2012 (14 consecutive months) and the outstanding caseload within the tribunals fell by 25% in 2011-12 to reach 145,000 on 31 March 2012. The average waiting time has stabilised nationally, and is beginning to fall across many venues.
	The following tables show the proportion of appeals regarding (a) disability living allowance, (b) employment and support allowance, (c) income support, (d) jobseeker's allowance and (e) tax credits which were decided in favour of the appellant in each hearing venue in the west midlands in (i) 2010/11 and (ii) 2011/12 (the latest period for which figures are available).
	
		
			 Percentage of appeals decided in favour of the appellant in 2010-11 
			 Hearing venue Disability living allowance Employment and support allowance Income support Jobseeker's allowance Tax credits 
			 Birmingham 24 23 32 18 18 
			 Coventry 38 33 26 20 (l )0 
			 Hereford 31 32 19 19 20 
			 Kidderminster 23 31 21 20 (l )0 
			 Stoke 29 35 33 18 (l )0 
			 Walsall (2)n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Wolverhampton 29 30 34 18 19 
			 Worcester 37 29 30 16 9 
			 (1) Fewer than 10 appeals of this benefit type were heard at these hearing venues in the time period. (2) Walsall has been used as a hearing venue since January 2012. Source: The data are taken from management information. 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage of appeals decided in favour of the appellant in 2011-12 
			 Hearing venue Disability living allowance Employment and support allowance Income support Jobseeker's allowance Tax credits 
			 Birmingham 25 32 29 14 7 
			 Coventry 43 35 51 20 17 
			 Hereford 29 34 26 12 33 
			 Kidderminster 24 28 23 15 14 
			 Stoke 31 34 23 15 13 
			 Walsall 28 33 21 3 (l )0 
			 Wolverhampton 32 35 36 16 20 
			 Worcester 33 43 35 21 (l )0 
			 (1) Fewer than 10 appeals of this benefit type were heard at these hearing venues in the time period. Source: The data are taken from management information.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

Mark Menzies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the effect of the level of the air passenger duty on business competitiveness.

Sajid Javid: The Government froze air passenger duty in 2011-12 and Budget 2012 announced 2013-14 rates will rise in line with inflation.
	Sound public finances help ensure a stable economic environment for businesses to grow and compete. Air passenger duty makes a vital contribution to the public finances.

Child Maintenance

Nigel Adams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to address the issue of absent parents not paying maintenance for their children using tax loopholes that may exist in IR35.

David Gauke: The rules surrounding child maintenance mean that the Child Support Agency is able to take into account the total amount of an absent parent's income from employment or self-employment. However, because dividend income legally derives from a shareholding and not from earnings, such payments are not included as a matter of routine.
	Child maintenance has a variations scheme which enables more exceptional circumstances to be included when setting maintenance. These include the ability to take account of income, including dividend income, not taken into account under standard calculation rules.
	There is no loophole in IR35 that allows absent parents not to pay child maintenance.

Corporation Tax

Jo Johnson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect changes to corporation tax have had on UK businesses.

David Gauke: The Government aim to create the most competitive tax regime in the G20. The main rate of corporate tax has been reduced from 28% in 2010 to 24% in April this year, and will then fall to 23% in April 2013 and 22% in April 2014.
	The OBR estimates that the additional 1% tax cut announced at Budget 2012 will
	“increase the level of business investment by 1 per cent over the forecast period”
	(EFO, p.46). This is equivalent to an increase in the total amount of business investment of £3.4 billion over the next five years.
	Reforms to the corporate tax regime have made the UK more competitive, stemming the flow of businesses leaving and encouraging companies to come back, or to move here for the first time.

Corporation Tax

Guy Opperman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in corporation tax on businesses.

David Gauke: The Government aim to create the most competitive tax regime in the G20. The main rate of corporate tax has been reduced from 28% in 2010 to 24% in April this year, and will then fall to 23% in April 2013 and 22% in April 2014.
	The OBR estimates that the additional 1 % tax cut announced at Budget 2012 will “increase the level of business investment by 1 per cent over the forecast period”. (EFO, p.46) This is equivalent to an increase in the total amount of business investment of £3.4 billion over the next five years.
	Reforms to the corporate tax regime have made the UK more competitive, stemming the flow of businesses leaving and encouraging companies to come back, or to move here for the first time.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Jim Murphy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the compensation for individual Equitable Life policyholders under the Equitable Life Payment Scheme was calculated; and if he will publish details of each method used.

Sajid Javid: The scheme published the detailed calculation methodology for each policy class in May 2011 and this information can be found on the scheme's website:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/resources/index.htm

Infrastructure

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  with reference to his Department's infrastructure programme announced on 18 July 2012, whether funds for infrastructure developments have been allocated to Northern Ireland;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's infrastructure programme announced on 18 July 2012, what private sector companies are expected to benefit from new guarantees provided for major infrastructure projects;
	(3)  with reference to his Department's infrastructure programme announced on 18 July 2012, which major infrastructure projects are being developed;
	(4)  with reference to his Department's infrastructure programme announced on 18 July 2012, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the programme on youth unemployment.

Danny Alexander: The UK Infrastructure Guarantee scheme is designed to ensure that major UK infrastructure projects that are struggling to access private finance because of adverse credit conditions can go ahead. An estimated £40 billion of projects in the public and private sectors in the UK and Northern Ireland could qualify for the provision of guarantees, subject to meeting the published minimum eligibility criteria and a robust approvals process. These projects could come from a range of sectors including transport, utilities, energy and communications.

LIBOR

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the policy of his Department on the role of banks in setting LIBOR was in (a) January 2007, (b) November 2008 and (c) May 2010; and what consideration he has given to arrangements for more effective supervision of the LIBOR (i) in general and (ii) in a banking crisis.

Greg Clark: HM Treasury is responsible for the implementation of the policies of the Government of the day in respect of financial services regulation and its other policy responsibilities. It has no specific departmental policies in respect of these matters.
	Consideration of the structure and governance of LIBOR, and the corresponding criminal sanctions regime are the subject of an independent review being conducted by Martin Wheatley, chief executive-designate of the Financial Conduct Authority. This review will report shortly; any necessary legislative changes resulting from the Wheatley Review will be considered for inclusion in the Financial Services Bill currently before Parliament or the proposed Banking Reform Bill.
	As part of his review, on 10 August Martin Wheatley launched a discussion paper setting out initial proposals for reforming the current framework for setting and governing LIBOR, which can be found at the following link:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_73_12.htm

LIBOR

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions his Department had with (a) Barclays, (b) RBS and (c) other major UK banks on the subject of reducing the LIBOR between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010; and if he will publish any associated correspondence or briefings held by his Department;
	(2)  whether officials, special advisers or Ministers in his Department discussed LIBOR setting with any senior representatives of Barclays in the week after the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England discussed LIBOR with Barclays on 28 October 2008; and if he will publish any associated minutes, correspondence or briefings;
	(3)  whether officials, special advisers or Ministers in his Department discussed the level of the LIBOR set by UK banks at a meeting with representatives of banks on 6 November 2008; and if he will publish any associated minutes, correspondence or briefings;
	(4)  whether officials, special advisers or Ministers in his Department raised any questions (a) in meetings and (b) by correspondence in respect of the reduction in the LIBOR following his Department's meeting with representatives of banks on 6 November 2008;
	(5)  what briefings his Department provided to Ministers between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010 on the concerns raised by regulators on (a) the credibility of LIBOR setting and (b) the associated investigation in the United States; and if he will publish any associated correspondence or briefings held by his Department;
	(6)  whether officials in his Department recommended that Ministers make a statement to the House on any occasion between 2007 and 2009 on concerns about the credibility of LIBOR in the context of a liquidity crisis and confidence and trust in LIBOR; and if he will publish any associated correspondence or briefings held by his Department.

Greg Clark: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of organisations as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions. Furthermore, the Government will not say or do anything that might pre-judge or pre-empt the outcome of investigations into the attempted manipulation of LIBOR and other benchmarks.
	In accordance with established practice, the current Government do not have access to departmental papers relating to the period of a previous Administration.

Regulation

Richard Fuller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has made an estimate of the (a) cost and (b) time required for a business to comply with each piece of regulation for which it is responsible.

Sajid Javid: The Treasury estimates the cost to business of its regulations through Impact Assessments. In general, time required for businesses to comply is accounted for in these costs. The Treasury's Impact Assessments from 2008 onwards can be found in the Impact Assessment library. This is available online at:
	http://www.ialibrary.bis.gov.uk/

Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he last had a bilateral meeting with the Secretary of State for Scotland; and what matters were discussed.

Danny Alexander: The Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Scotland meet regularly to discuss a range of topics.

Tax Evasion

Guy Opperman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to tackle tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.

David Gauke: The Government have been robust in its response to tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance schemes, taking action to prevent, detect and tackle such behaviour. We have underlined our commitment to tackling non-compliance in those areas by investing over £900 million in HM Revenue and Customs over the spending review period. That will allow HM Revenue and Customs to better tackle evasion, criminal attacks, unpaid tax debt and avoidance and is on course to bring in around £7 billion in additional tax each year by 2014-15. HM Revenue and Customs' reinvestment in tackling criminals has resulted in 413 convictions, with over £1 billion in revenue and revenue loss prevented as a result of its investigations. We are also soon to introduce the UK's first ever General Anti-Abuse Rule, to tackle artificial and abusive avoidance schemes, and are consulting on ways to strengthen our avoidance disclosure regime and associated publicity, including improving the information available to taxpayers on avoidance.

Taxation: Business

Ben Gummer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of HM Revenue and Customs company tax inspections were (a) held at random, (b) following up suspected irregularities in company tax returns and (c) triggered by reports to HM Revenue and Customs' hotline and DirectGov service of suspected tax avoidance in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Gauke: 2011-12 is the last full year for which information is available.
	In this period:
	(a) the total number of random corporation tax interventions carried out by HMRC was 277
	(b) the total number of corporation tax interventions carried out by HMRC was 15,838 (including the 277 random interventions)
	(c) It is not possible to identify inspections triggered by reports to HMRC's hotlines DirectGov service.

Taxation: Golf

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason private members' golf clubs are exempt from (a) charging VAT on membership and (b) corporation tax; for what reason golf clubs run as businesses are subject to such taxes; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: European law requires member states to apply a mandatory VAT exemption to supplies of sporting services by non-profit making organisations. Subscription fees charged by non-profit-making golf clubs are therefore exempt from VAT. There is no similar VAT exemption for sporting services supplied by profit-making organisations.
	Golf clubs that are unincorporated associations or companies are within the scope of corporation tax and are not exempt. Where these clubs are established by their members for their own social or recreational objects they are not liable to corporation tax on any surpluses which arise from transactions with their full members. This is because the surpluses on transactions with such members are not trading income. However, receipts from outsiders such as visitors or temporary members are subject to corporation tax as trading income and other income and gains of members' clubs are chargeable to tax in the normal way.

Taxation: Pensions

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue forgone from offsetting pension contributions against tax for (a) ordinary rate and (b) higher rate taxpayers in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Gauke: holding answer 3 September 2012
	Available estimates of the total tax cost of pension relief can be found in Table PEN6 on the HMRC website at the following link:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/pensions/pen6.xls

SCOTLAND

Infrastructure (Financial Assistance) Bill

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effect on Scotland of the proposals in the Infrastructure (Financial Assistance) Bill.

Michael Moore: The UK Government announced in July that they will issue guarantees for major infrastructure projects. The infrastructure guarantee programme will extend to Scotland and will be available to projects that may have stalled because of adverse credit conditions and that meet set criteria. All applications received will be subject to detailed assessment by the UK Government, in consultation with the Scottish Government where appropriate.

Universal Credit

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the implementation of universal credit in Scotland.

Michael Moore: The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (David Mundell), and I are in regular contact with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues relating to welfare reform in Scotland.

West Coast Railway Line

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the recent award of the West Coast Main Line passenger rail franchise.

Michael Moore: There has been regular contact between the Scotland Office and the Department for Transport on cross-border rail issues related to Scotland. My officials have discussed the award of the West Coast Main Line passenger rail franchise with counterparts in the Department for Transport in recent weeks and will continue to receive updates on the matter.

Working Tax Credit

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of reductions in the child care component of working tax credit.

Michael Moore: The budget deficit we inherited from the previous Government has meant we have had to make some very difficult choices. The Government have been clear that it sees reducing Britain's deficit as its most urgent task, in order to put the public finances on a stable footing. Despite this reduction, the child care element provides important support and will continue to make child care more affordable for working parents.

CABINET OFFICE

Charities

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Arfon of 24 April 2012, Official Report, column 796W, on charities, on what date he plans to lay the orders to make provision for the status of charitable incorporated organisations.

Nick Hurd: The Government will shortly lay the secondary legislation that will enable the new form of charity, the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), to be created. Commencement will be subject to parliamentary approval.

Charity Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many recent candidates for the position of Chair of the Charity Commission were interviewed by or met (a) the Minister for the Cabinet Office and (b) other Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The selection panel considered 26 applications and selected for interview the five candidates they consider best met the criteria. Three candidates were deemed appointable to the post and the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General met with all three candidates.

Public Sector: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the net change in the number of private sector jobs was in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency, (b) the London Borough of Bexley and (c) Greater London in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the net change in the number of private sector jobs was in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency, (b) the London Borough of Bexley and (c) Greater London in the latest period for which figures are available. (119633)
	The official estimates of public and private sector jobs are compiled from Work Force Jobs (WFJ) series. However, WFJ do not produce private/public sector job statistics at any geography smaller than Regional level, so private sector employment has been provided from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
	Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey.
	Table 1 as follows shows the net changes in private sector employment from the APS in London, London Borough of Bexley and Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency between the 12 month period ending in March 2012, (the latest available period) and the period one year earlier.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1: Net change in private sector employment between the 12 month period ending March 2011 and March 2012 
			 Thousand 
			  Private sector employment  
			  12 months ending:  
			  March 2011 March 2012 Net change 
			 London 2,882 *3,006 124 
			 Bexley 76 **85 8 
			 Bexleyheath and Crayford 29 ***29 0 
			 Note: Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described below: Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key: * 0 = CV<5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ? 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV = Coefficient of Variation Source: Annual Population Survey.

Unemployment

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) two parent non-working families and (b) single parent non-working families in (i) the UK and (ii) each parliamentary constituency in the Liverpool metropolitan borough.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of (a) two parent non-working families and (b) single parent non-working families in (i) the UK and (ii) each parliamentary constituency in the Liverpool metropolitan borough (119747).
	For the UK, the latest information available is for April to June 2012. In April to June 2012 there were 278,000 non-working couple households with dependent children and 694,000 non-working lone parent households with dependent children. It is not possible to provide estimates for each parliamentary constituency in the Liverpool metropolitan borough due to small sample sizes.

Unemployment: Females

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of unemployed (a) women who are single mothers and (b) women with children who have a working spouse or partner.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics. Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of unemployed (a) women who are single mothers and (b) women with children who have a working spouse or partner (119746).
	The latest estimates available are for April to June 2012. In the UK, in April to June 2012, there were 190,000 unemployed female lone parents and 165,000 female parents living with a partner who was employed.

Voluntary Work: Young People

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what size of capital bond organisations wishing to bid for National Citizen Service contracts for financial year 2013-14 were required to guarantee; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: There were no capital bond requirements.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Higher Education

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for participation in higher education.

David Willetts: We expect there to be more full-time students studying in higher education this year than in any year under the last Government.

Business: Regulation

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had on the introduction of regulatory budgets.

Michael Fallon: holding answer 5 September 2012
	The 'one in, one out' system is based on the net cost to business of domestic regulation which requires Departments to work towards a 'net zero budget'; and is designed to cap the cost of domestic regulation. In July we published the fourth Statement of New Regulation showing that Departments have reduced the net domestic burden by over £850 million. We are therefore reversing the rise in regulation that is constricting enterprise and stifling growth; and working hard to change the regulatory culture in Departments.

Sunday Trading

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the likelihood that the removal of Sunday trading legislation would lead to an overall increase in (a) retail sales and (b) jobs in the retail sector;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the removal of the provisions of Sunday trading legislation on small stores;
	(3)  what data his Department is collecting on the effect of removing Sunday trading rules during the period between 22 July and 9 September 2012; and whether he is considering abolition or amendment of the Sunday Trading Act 1994.

Michael Fallon: The suspension of the current Sunday Trading regulations applies to the specified period from 22 July to 9 September, and new legislation would be required for any extension.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has requested data on the impact of the suspension from a number of large retailers including the impact on sales and employment. BIS will now also analyse the impact on the retail sales of small retailers.

Tobacco: Packaging

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  whether his Department has had any (a) discussions and (b) correspondence with the Department of Health on the compliance of the consultation on plain packaging for tobacco products with the standards specified by the Better Regulation rules;
	(2)  whether his Department was consulted by the Department of Health on the nature of the consumer surveys used as part of the consultation on plain packaging for tobacco products.

Michael Fallon: holding answer 5 September 2012
	All proposed regulatory measures are subject to collective discussion before public consultation.
	This consultation was subject to the Code of Practice on Consultation set out on the Department's website at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file47158.pdf
	Each Department is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of its own consultation exercises.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Overseas Aid

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department has taken to ensure that UK development assistance is not misused as a consequence of corruption.

Justine Greening: The Department is committed to ensuring that aid money is used for the purpose for which it was intended. The Department has a range of controls and measures in place to protect UK aid. These include rigorous risk assessments and monitoring requirements to track results against agreed objectives for all projects and programmes, and regular internal audits.
	In any country where financial aid is provided directly to partner governments, the Department carries out a fiduciary risk assessment.
	The Department is also testing new approaches to results based aid, such as cash on delivery aid, to link payment of our aid conditional on proof that results have been achieved.
	Where any corruption involving UK aid is uncovered, or suspected, the Department always takes action to investigate and, wherever possible, recover funds.

Overseas Aid

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's aid to countries in (a) Africa, (b) Asia and (c) the Americas was allocated to (i) agricultural support, (ii) education and (iii) healthcare in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The following table provides the information requested.
	DFID publishes details of Official Development Assistance (ODA) by country in its annual publication, Statistics on International Development:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2011/
	Additionally, DFID produces details of ODA by country and sector in additional tables available online:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2011/SID-2011-Additional-tables/
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Africa    
			 Agriculture 1.78 3.02 2.38 
			 Education 16.20 13.49 17.27 
			 Health 22.91 19.85 19.45 
			     
			 Asia    
			 Agriculture 2.64 2.53 1.97 
			 Education 16.17 15.12 17.02 
			 Health 23.16 22.63 19.24 
			     
			 Americas    
			 Agriculture 0.97 0.15 0.19 
			 Education 3.52 3.04 24.32 
			 Health 8.14 7.80 2.90

WORK AND PENSIONS

Employment Schemes: Young People

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have received youth contract wage subsidies since the launch of that scheme.

Mark Hoban: The youth contract, including wage incentives, went live on April 2012. From this point any young person attached to the Work programme could be placed into work with a wage incentive being offered to the employer. In most cases wage incentives are paid after a young person has been in work continuously for 26 weeks.
	Following the collection and quality assurance of this data, I expect the first set of Official Statistics on the wage incentive to be available from early 2013. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity.

Housing Benefit

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with housing charities on the proposal to withdraw housing benefit for people under the age of 25.

Steve Webb: While all aspects of welfare expenditure remain under review, there are currently no plans to remove entitlement to housing benefit from people under 25 years of age.

Housing Benefit

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the need for assistance to tenants (a) who are foster carers and (b) with disabilities affected by the reduction in housing benefit as a result of over-occupation; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: We have made an additional £30 million available for the discretionary housing payment budget from 2013-14 aimed specifically at two groups: foster carers; and disabled people who live in significantly adapted accommodation. There is a strong argument not to expect someone living in a property which has been specially adapted for their needs, often at quite considerable cost, to move into a different one. We are also keen to protect the position of foster carers so that they are not discouraged from taking up or continuing their caring role. Based on information from a variety of sources we estimate that this additional funding could assist around 40,000 claimants affected by the under occupation measure.

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much in (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit was disbursed to foreign nationals in 2011.

Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.

Housing Benefit: Young People

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people under the age of 25 years were in receipt of housing benefit in (a) England and Wales, (b) the east midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency in each of the last three years.

Steve Webb: The number of people aged under 25 who were in receipt of housing benefit in England, Wales, east midlands and Nottinghamshire in each of the last three years is given in the following table.
	Information is not readily available for housing benefit claimants aged under 25 at parliamentary constituency level, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. A one-off exercise was carried out on the January 2011 data to provide a breakdown by parliamentary constituency of all housing benefit claimants. The results are published on the DWP website at:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbctb
	
		
			 Housing benefit claimants aged under 25 
			  May 2012 May 2011 May 2010 
			 England 326,560 324,870 328,460 
			 Wales 22,160 21,710 21,270 
			 East Midlands region 28,430 27,510 27,310 
			 Nottinghamshire county 4,410 4,180 4,140 
			 Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month. 4. Age groups are based on the age on the count date (second Thursday in the month), of either: (a) the recipient if they are single, or (b) the elder of the recipient or partner if claiming as a couple 5. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and May 2012 are the most recent available. Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE)

International Labour Conference

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representation the UK sent to the International Labour Conference in June 2012.

Mark Hoban: The Department for Work and Pensions sent three officials to attend the International Labour Conference in June 2012, with support from FCO officials based at the UK Mission in Geneva.
	In addition there were four representatives each from both the CBI and TUC, in accordance with the tripartite structure of the International Labour Conference.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the Jobcentre Plus outcome targets for each of the last four years.

Mark Hoban: Jobcentre Plus outcome targets for each of the last four years are recorded in the Jobcentre Plus business plans, which are placed in the Library each year.
	For 2008-09 ISBN 978—1—84763—319—4 Ref: JPBP0809
	For 2009-10 ISBN 978—1—84947—019—3 Ref: JPBP0910
	For 2010-11 ISBN 978—1—84947—326—2 Ref: JPBP1011
	For 2011-12 ISBN 978—1—84947—528—0 Ref: JPDP1112

Legionnaires Disease: Edinburgh

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the Health and Safety Executive in Scotland to publish the results of their investigation into the outbreak of Legionnaires disease in Edinburgh in May 2012.

Mark Hoban: The investigation into the deaths from Legionnaires disease in Edinburgh is being jointly investigated by Lothian and Borders police and the Health and Safety Executive under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). The results cannot be published until the criminal investigation has been concluded and the matter has been reported to COPFS.

State Retirement Pensions

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given to ensuring that all state pensions are paid from the date of the qualifying birthday rather than from a day within the week of the qualifying birthday.

Steve Webb: State pension is payable in whole weeks and not individual days, so payments start from the first full benefit week that follows the date a person reaches state pension age. If a person's birthday happens to fall on the same day of the week as the first day of their benefit week, there is no gap between that birthday and the first day for which payment is due. For most other people, there will be.
	There are administrative costs associated with making part-week payments and it is important that we continue to deliver the Department's service as cost-effectively as possible. If we made part-week payments at the commencement of a claim then logically we should seek to recover any days' overpayment at the end and this would add to the Department's administrative costs.
	The Government have no plans to change this arrangement at the present time.

Universal Credit

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has made an assessment of the potential effects of introducing universal credit on the network of women's refuges; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The Government are committed to tackling domestic violence and to providing better support for victims. It is our intention that universal credit will not cause a reduction in support levels for victims of domestic violence.
	The housing benefit rules that currently apply for those living in refuges and other supported housing are complex to administer and understand. We do not intend to reduce the overall level of support that the sector currently receives from housing benefit but we do intend to simplify and streamline the current arrangements.
	We have conducted a consultation on proposals to redesign and simplify these arrangements and we received a substantial number of often comprehensive replies. We are continuing to develop plans for new funding arrangements under universal credit and we expect to announce further information in due course.

Work Capability Assessment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of (a) work capability assessment and (b) initial employment and support allowance entitlement decisions made that were right first time in each of the last four years.

Mark Hoban: Atos Healthcare carries out work capability assessments (WCAs). Once completed, WCAs are forwarded to DWP where a decision maker reaches a decision on the claim—taking account of all of the evidence, including the WCA.
	In new ESA claims made between October 2008 and May 2011, DWP has made 1,048,000 decisions following receipt of a WCA from Atos.
	636,500 (61%) of these claimants were found “fit for work” following their initial work capability assessment. 258,100 appeals had been heard against those decisions by May 2012. This represents around 41 % of those who were found “fit for work”.
	The tribunal upheld the DWP decision in 160,700 of those cases. So DWP decisions were overturned in 97,500 cases, around 9% of all decisions made.
	The statistics quoted above were taken out of the publication Employment and Support Allowance: Outcomes of Work Capability Assessments, Great Britain—new claims. This publication can be found at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca
	Please note that on 12 September the Department plans to publish statistics on Atos recommendations and post appeal work capability assessment outcomes. These will be available at the following link:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=adhoc_analysis

Work Programme

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish a table showing the number of subcontractors that have received referrals from prime contractors under the Work programme; and how many people have been referred to date.

Mark Hoban: The Department does not collect information on the number of subcontractors receiving referrals from Work programme primes and has no plans to publish a breakdown of referrals by subcontractor.
	Official statistics on Work programme referrals and attachments up to the end of April 2012 were published on the Department's website on 8 August:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wp

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the reasons for regional variations between the proportion of Work programme referrals made from the early access payment group.

Mark Hoban: No formal assessment for regional variations in the number of referrals to different payment groups has been made to date.
	The Work programme JSA early access group provides optional entry from three months of pre-Work programme activity (for vulnerable groups including disabled people, ex-offenders, carers and ex-HM armed forces personnel, among others) and mandatory entry from three months (including for those claimants who had previously claimed JSA for 22 out of the last 24 months and have undertaken three months pre-Work programme activity).
	Given the number of reasons for referrals to this group, it would not be unexpected for there to be some variation in the number of referrals between regions.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Combined Heat and Power

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the potential effect of removing levy exemption certificates on (a) investment in industrial combined heat and power (CHP) and (b) reductions in emissions associated with using industrial CHP over the next 10 years.

Gregory Barker: The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of withdrawal of levy exemption certificates on investment in new industrial Combined Heat and Power (CHP) capacity or carbon dioxide emissions. The impacts of the changes announced in Budget 2011, and confirmed in Budget 2012, are summarised in the Tax Information and Impact Note published alongside Budget 2012. This can be found on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/tiin-0700.pdf
	The Department produces projections of CHP capacity growth for inclusion in our annual updated energy projections, which will be published in October. The latest CHP projections account for withdrawal of levy exemption certificates, as well as our latest energy price projections and improved assumptions on the proportion of power exported by CHP schemes. These projections predict continued growth in CHP capacity from the current level of 6.1GW electrical capacity to 11GW by 2020.

Combined Heat and Power

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what role industrial combined heat and power plays in his Department's plans for future emissions reductions; and what assessment he has made of how that role might be affected by the abolition of levy exemption certificates;
	(2)  whether his Department has any plans to replace levy exemption certificates with an alternative means of support for industrial combined heat and power technology; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Renewable CHP in all sectors benefits from effective support under current renewables obligation arrangements. The forthcoming consultation on the renewable heat incentive will consider the case for specific support for heat from new renewable CHP schemes.
	The Department believes natural gas fired CHP also has an important role to play, as an industrial energy efficiency measure and a cost-effective carbon reduction measure in industries that continue to rely on gas. Our analysis identifies that high required rates of return and short required payback periods can be barriers to development of new natural gas industrial CHP capacity.
	Levy exemption certificates were not a value for money way of addressing these barriers. The Department is looking at alternative ways of addressing the barriers to investment.

Electricity

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking on demand reduction for electricity.

Gregory Barker: The Government have a number of policies aimed at reducing electricity demand including Green Deal, the smart meter programme and product standards. The Electricity Demand Reduction project is assessing whether there is any need for additional measures. The project's initial assessment suggests significant further potential for efficiency may exist, and my Department will consult later this year on potential policy approaches that can best unlock further electricity efficiency.

Energy: Business

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 429-30, on consumer protection, what steps his Department has taken to help small businesses with their energy bills.

Gregory Barker: Ofgem is the regulator for gas and electricity supplies, including supply to the non-domestic sector. In November 2011, Ofgem published a consultation on a package of measures to ensure businesses are better protected, including extending the protections currently available to micro business to small business, and will publish updated proposals before winter. They are also committed to reviewing the automatic rollover and termination rules that apply to businesses.
	Ofgem has also been working with industry and consumer groups to assess the financial impact of backbilling on small businesses. This has led to the introduction of a new set of voluntary standards for the treatment of micro-businesses and Ofgem is continuing to monitor this issue.

Energy: Conservation

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 434-36, on energy efficiency, what the role and objectives are of the office of energy efficiency deployment; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Energy Efficiency Deployment Office (EEDO) has been set up to advance energy efficiency across the UK economy. EEDO was launched by the Secretary of State on 8 February 2012 and will come forward with a national energy efficiency strategy by the end of the year.

Energy: Meters

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess the merits of using the universal credit system to help prepaid meter customers move onto credit meters.

Gregory Barker: Universal credit will be paid monthly and we will support claimants with monthly budgeting. This may enable them to use direct debits for household bills: paying by direct debit can help households to save on their energy bills. Government and Ofgem are working with energy suppliers to ensure households receive good information about the best tariff and how to get it and Ofgem monitors the differences energy suppliers charge for different payment methods, to ensure pre-payment meter customers are charged a fair price.

Energy: Prices

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to protect vulnerable customers from rising energy bills.

Gregory Barker: The coalition Government are committed to supporting low income and vulnerable consumers to heat their homes at an affordable cost.
	We continue to fund the Warm Front scheme, providing low income vulnerable households, living in energy inefficient properties, with a range of energy efficient heating and insulation measures. Since the start of the scheme in June 2000 the scheme has assisted 2.3 million households across England.
	The Community Energy Saving Programme is targeted at the 15% lowest income areas in Scotland and Wales and lowest 10% in England. It is designed to deliver comprehensive energy efficiency retrofits on a street by street basis with expected permanent fuel bill savings of up to £300 a year per household.
	Under the Super Priority Group of the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target some 600,000 low income households across Great Britain are expected to receive heating and insulation measures, either for free or at a subsidised price.
	We recently published the consultation response regarding the new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which will be our flagship policy for improving the energy efficiency of the nation's housing stock. ECO will run alongside the Green Deal and will have twin objectives to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. ECO requires energy suppliers to help households access more expensive insulation measures such as solid wall and hard to treat cavity wall insulation through the Green Deal and to provide measures to low income and vulnerable households to help reduce the costs of staying warm and healthy. Through ECO around £540 million will be spent annually by suppliers to assist low income households and low income areas.
	In addition to energy efficiency measures, in 2011-12 the Warm Home Discount scheme provided energy supplier funded discounts to around 700,000 of the poorest pensioners across Great Britain with a core group discount of £120 off electricity bills. Nearly 600,000 of these customers received the discount without having to claim, as a result of data matching between Government and energy suppliers. This is a significant benefit for a group which may struggle to claim. Other low income vulnerable households may also be assisted through the scheme. Overall we expect 2 million low income vulnerable households a year to be assisted through the Warm Home Discount scheme.
	Government provide pensioner households with winter fuel payments to help with additional heating costs during the winter. Cold weather payments are also made to low income and vulnerable households where there is an average temperature of 0° C or below for seven consecutive days. These payments have been permanently increased to £25 per week and in winter 2011-12 over 5 million cold weather payments were paid in Great Britain worth an estimated £129 million.
	In addition, Big Energy Saving Week, brokered by Government and led by Citizens Advice, aims to connect consumers, particularly the vulnerable, with sources of help with their energy bills. Big Energy Saving Week is week beginning 22 October 2012.

Fuel Poverty: Glasgow

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of fuel poverty in Glasgow North West constituency.

Gregory Barker: The coalition Government are committed to tackling fuel poverty and supporting low income and vulnerable consumers to heat their homes at an affordable cost. Fuel poverty is a devolved issue for the Scottish Government, but the following polices span Great Britain.
	In winter 2011-12, the Warm Home Discount Scheme provided energy supplier funded discounts to around 700,000 of the poorest pensioners across Great Britain with a Core Group discount of £120 off electricity bills. Nearly 600,000 of these customers received the discount without having to claim, as a result of data matching between Government and energy suppliers. This is a significant benefit for a group which may struggle to claim. Other low income vulnerable households may also be assisted through the scheme. Overall we expect 2 million low income vulnerable households a year to be assisted through the Warm Home Discount scheme.
	We recently published the consultation response regarding the new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which will be our flagship policy for improving the energy efficiency of the nation's housing stock. ECO will run alongside the Green Deal and will have twin objectives to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. ECO requires energy suppliers to help households access more expensive insulation measures such as solid wall and hard to treat cavity wall insulation through the Green Deal and to provide measures to low income and vulnerable households to help reduce the costs of staying warm and healthy. Through ECO around £540 million will be spent annually by suppliers to assist low income households and low income areas.
	The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) is targeted at the 15% lowest income areas in Scotland and Wales (10% in England). It is designed to deliver comprehensive energy efficiency retrofits and a street by street basis with expected permanent fuel bill savings of up to £300 a year per household. 36 CESP schemes in Glasgow had been submitted to Ofgem for approval by June 2012.
	Under the Super Priority Group of the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target some 600,000 low income households across Great Britain are expected to receive heating and insulation measures, either for free or at a subsidised price.
	In addition, Government provide pensioner households with winter fuel payments to help with additional heating costs during the winter. Cold weather payments are also made to low income and vulnerable households where there is an average temperature of 0° C or below for seven consecutive days. These payments have been permanently increased to £25 per week and in winter 2011-12 over 5 million cold weather payments were paid in Great Britain worth an estimated £129 million.

Hydroelectric Power

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what measures he is considering to speed up the time taken from inception to commissioning of hydro-electricity schemes.

Gregory Barker: There are several steps that a hydropower scheme needs to go through before it is built, including a feasibility study, environmental report, planning consent, environmental licences, grid connection and raising finance. Further advice can be found in the publication “Hydropower: a Guide for you and your community” which is downloadable at:
	http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/water/32022.aspx
	The Government are working to ensure the administrative burden of meeting essential environmental standards is kept to a minimum. The Environment Agency has streamlined administrative arrangements for the application and determination processes for those applying for the necessary permissions. The Environment Agency is also working with stakeholders to revise its good practice guidelines for hydropower. We will continue to seek to maintain the right balance between encouraging growth in this sector and ensuring that sufficient environmental protection standards remain in place.

Licensing

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what permits and licences his Department and its public bodies issue to businesses.

Gregory Barker: The Department and its public bodies issue the following permits and licenses to businesses:
	Nuclear regulation
	For nuclear regulation, permits and licences may be issued for:
	design of low dispersible radioactive material;
	designs of Type B(U), Type B(M), Type C packages;
	designs for packages to contain uranium hexafluoride;
	designs for packages to contain fissile material;
	certain types of shipments;
	shipments under special arrangement;
	modifications or amendments to existing approvals.
	authorisations may also be issued permitting carriage of radioactive material contrary to the prohibitions or requirements arising elsewhere in the regulations.
	Nuclear development
	The Environment Agency issues the following permits to businesses under legislation that is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change:
	environmental permits under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 for radioactive substances activities, i.e. (i) for non nuclear sites, for keeping and using radioactive materials, and for their storage or disposal, and (ii) for nuclear sites, for the discharge and disposal of radioactive wastes;
	authorisations under the Transfrontier Shipment of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuels Regulations 2008, for international shipments of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel.
	Energy technology list
	DECC currently funds the Carbon Trust to administer the energy technology list (ETL) on our behalf. This includes issuing the ETL certification mark to manufacturers) whose products have met the set criteria and can qualify for enhanced capital allowances (ECA). The ETL certification mark is used by manufacturers to certify that their products are energy efficient.
	Oil and gas offshore environment and decommissioning
	greenhouse gas emissions permits under the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2005 (as amended);
	atmospheric emissions permits under the Offshore Combustion Installations (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Regulations 2001 (as amended);
	chemical use and discharge permits under the Offshore Chemical Regulations 2002 (as amended);
	oil discharge permits under the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005 (as amended);
	marine licences under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009;
	other environmental approvals, consents etc are also issued under the Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipelines (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1999 (as amended); the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001 (as amended); the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998; the Offshore Installations (Emergency Pollution Control) Regulations 2002 and Part 4A of the Energy Act 2008 (as amended);
	written approvals for decommissioning programmes under section 32(1) of the Petroleum Act 1998 are issued to operators of offshore oil and gas installations and pipelines.
	Oil and gas licensing exploration and development
	under the Petroleum Act 1998. DECC issues petroleum exploration and development licences. Consents for drilling, development, production, flaring and venting are issued under these licences.
	Coal Authority
	the Coal Authority issues licenses and leases for coal mining operations in Britain. It also issues permits to organisations seeking to enter the authority's coal estate to undertake site investigation work and other access agreements for coal methane extraction.
	Electricity generating stations
	consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for onshore electricity generating stations with a capacity greater than 50 megawatts; and deemed planning permission under section 90(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for that station(1);
	consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989(2) for offshore electricity generating stations with a capacity greater than one megawatt;
	the making of an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992;
	consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989(3) or the making of an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 for offshore electricity generating stations with a capacity greater than one megawatt;
	issue of notices under section 95 of the Energy Act 2004 declaring safety zones around offshore renewable energy installations;
	approval under the Energy Act 2004 of decommissioning plans for offshore renewable energy installations;
	declarations under section 99 of the Energy Act 2004 extinguishing the public rights of navigation where these pass through the places where renewable energy installations are situated;
	approval of Development Consent Orders under the Planning Act 2008.
	permission under section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 to use gas and/or hydrocarbons as the fuel in generating stations with a capacity greater than 10 megawatts.
	Overhead electric lines
	consent under section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 for overhead electric lines(4);
	Onshore pipelines
	pipeline construction authorisation under the Pipelines Act 1962 for pipelines longer than 16.093 km(5);
	consents pursuant to Gas Transporter Pipe-line Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1999 for the construction of gas pipelines by registered gas transporter(6).
	Onshore gas storage facilities
	gas storage authorisation order under the Gas Act 1965(7).
	Hazardous substances
	deemed hazardous consent under section 12 of the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990.
	Compulsory purchase orders and compulsory wayleaves
	compulsory purchase order under the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.
	compulsory wayleave for overhead electric lines under schedule 4 of the Electricity Act 1989.
	Miscellaneous
	joint decisions with appropriate Minister where any proposal which impacts on a gas or electricity “statutory undertaker” has to be determined, for example a planning application for a new sub-station has been refused by the planning authority and the statutory undertaker has appealed.
	Note
	The Secretary of State will take the final decision on all energy applications submitted to the National Infrastructure Directorate after consideration of its report to him.
	Ofgem
	While not one of our public bodies, we contract the following functions from Ofgem:
	wind licensing;
	under gas and electricity legislation, Ofgem is responsible for granting licences covering the following activities:
	electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply;
	gas transportation, shipping or supply;
	operating an electricity or gas interconnector.
	(1) Since 1 March 2010 such applications are now submitted to the National Infrastructure Directorate (NID) of the Planning Inspectorate under the Planning Act 2008.
	(2) Since 1 April 2010 applications are submitted to the Marine Management Organisation.
	(3) Since 1 April 2010 applications are submitted to the Marine Management Organisation.
	(4) Since 1 March 2010 applications for overhead electric lines with a nominal voltage of 132kV and above are submitted to NID.
	(5) Since 1 March 2010 applications are submitted to NID.
	(6) Since 1 March 2010 applications for such pipelines which are in England are submitted to NID.
	(7) Since 1 March 2010 applications for such facilities with a storage capacity of at least 43 million standard cubic metres of gas are submitted to NID.

Micro-generation

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the current initial cost for a micro-producer to connect to the National Grid.

Gregory Barker: No charge applies for the connection of a domestic-scale generator (less than 16 amps per phase). Larger micro-generation projects connecting to the grid will pay an up-front charge commensurate with the cost of making that connection. These charges will vary by location depending on such factors as the distance to the nearest part of the network and the capacity of the existing network in the vicinity. Due to the project-specific nature of grid connection charges for micro-generation projects, DECC has not developed a set of specific assumptions, although grid connection costs were included in the technology cost estimates developed by Parsons Brinckerhoff for parts 2A and 2B of the Feed-In Tariffs Comprehensive Review.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his statement of 24 May 2012, Official Report, columns 1303-7, on the feed-in tariffs scheme, what progress he has made on the inclusion of solar power in the updated renewable energy roadmap; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Solar PV will be included in the updated renewable energy roadmap.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his statement of 24 May 2012, Official Report, columns 1303-7, on the feed-in tariffs scheme, if he will make it his policy to include geo-thermal power in the updated renewable energy roadmap.

Gregory Barker: Geo-thermal power will be included in the updated renewable energy roadmap.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his statement of 24 May 2012, Official Report, columns 1303-7, on the feed-in tariffs scheme, if he will make it his policy to include hydro power in the updated renewable energy roadmap.

Gregory Barker: Hydro power will be included in the updated renewable energy roadmap.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his statement of 24 May 2012, Official Report, columns 1303-7, on the feed-in tariffs scheme, when he expects the renewable energy roadmap to be updated.

Gregory Barker: We plan to publish the next update of the renewables roadmap during the autumn.

Solar Power

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the total amount of electricity generated by domestic solar installations up to 1 January 2012; and what this figure represents as a proportion of total domestic electricity consumption for England.

Gregory Barker: The latest data available are for financial year 2010-11 and are for the UK as a whole. Total generation from sub 4kW PV systems—the vast majority from domestic installations—in 2010-11 was 14.4GWh. The overall UK domestic electricity consumption for 2010-11 was 116.8TWh, so the proportion contributed by domestic-scale PV is approximately 0.01%.
	It takes some months for Ofgem to reconcile data from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) database with the annual generation data from the electricity suppliers. Data for 2011-12 will be made available in December this year. In future, we intend to collect more detailed generation data, and we are consulting the electricity supply companies on this via the FITS Licensees consultation.
	As a proxy for generation data, it is useful to compare the sub 4kW PV capacity on Ofgem's Central FIT Register at end March 2011—64.7MW—with what it was at end of March 2012—676.6MW, i.e. a more than 10-fold increase in installed capacity.

Warm Front Scheme

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding his Department allocated to the Warm Front scheme in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; what the actual level of expenditure was in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; what steps he is taking to ensure allocated funding is spent in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The total budget for the Warm Front scheme in 2010-11 and 2011-12 was as £366 million and £145 million(1) respectively. The total budget of £366 million was spent in 2010-11. Total expenditure for 2011-12 was £108.6 million(2).
	Warm Front remains open to applications with a budget of £100 million in 2012-13 to provide insulation and heating measures to qualifying households.
	Government are committed to doing all they can to drive up demand for the scheme and continues to work closely with local authorities, charities and the energy companies to encourage pensioners and those on low incomes apply for the help to which they are entitled.
	The Government have recently taken steps to broaden the eligibility criteria for the scheme to align the income-based qualifying benefits with those to be utilised for the forthcoming Affordable Warmth group of the Energy Company Obligation. The qualifying SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) threshold for the property will also be increased from 55 to 63. These changes will come into force on 12 September 2012 from which time applications will be assessed against the revised criteria allowing an even greater number of households to benefit.
	(1) The total budget of £145 million consists of £110 million allocated to Warm Front and associated activities secured through the spending review 2010. In addition DECC allocated £25 million to support the completion of outstanding work from 2010-11 with a further £10 million allocated to Warm Front in 2011-12 from the Department of Health.
	(2) The original budget for Warm Front and associated fuel poverty expenditure for 2011-12 was £110 million. During 2011-12 total expenditure was almost £108 million with a further £0.6 million committed but not yet paid. Therefore, of the original Warm Front budget £1.4 million was unspent. The budget was increased by £35 million during the year. We also received agreed rebates from Carillion Energy Services of nearly £14 million. These rebates were used to offset expenditure in 2011-12 bringing total reported expenditure for the year to £94.4 million. Against the total budget of £145 million for 2011-12, £50.6 million was unspent.

Wind Power

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of wind turbines which will come into operation in each (a) year until 2020 and (b) month during the next two years.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 5 September 2012
	No assessment has been made of the number of wind turbines that will come into operation each month during the next two years and each year until 2020.
	However, within the renewable energy roadmap
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/renewable-energy/2167-uk-renewable-energy-roadmap.pdf
	published July 2011, the central scenario shows generating capacity of up to 13 GW of onshore wind and up to 18 GW of offshore wind by 2020.
	Details of wind farms, both onshore and offshore, that are currently within the planning system can be found within the Renewables Energy Planning database (REPD) monthly extract
	https://restats.decc.gov.uk/app/reporting/decc/monthlyextract
	Estimates based on this information are likely to fluctuate because not all projects in the planning system may receive consent, not all projects consented may follow through to construction and as new projects are introduced. The following table shows the breakdown of wind turbine numbers and capacity for May 2012.
	
		
			    Planning applications—number of turbines 
			 Wind technology Source Number of operational turbines Submitted Awaiting construction Under construction 
			 Wind offshore REPD 568 1,072 323 863 
			 Wind onshore REPD 3,311 2,809 1,819 925 
			  RESTATS 318 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total  4,197 3,881 2,142 1,788

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 436-7, on renewable energy, how his agreement with the offshore wind industry will work to ensure that 50% of the supply chain involves UK companies; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Government welcome the recent announcement by the Offshore Wind Developers Forum (OWDF), which stated its vision for “the UK to be the centre of offshore wind technology and deployment, with a competitive supply chain in the UK, providing over 50% of the content of offshore wind farm projects”.
	The Government will work with developers to understand how this will be achieved including to develop a methodology for reporting the level of UK content in future offshore projects to measure how developers are delivering against the vision.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to strengthen relations between the UK and its Overseas Territories; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: We published, in June, a White Paper—‘The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability’, 28 June 2012, Official Report, column 24WS—setting out a broad and ambitious vision for the Territories in the 21st century. We want the Territories to be vibrant and flourishing communities, proudly retaining aspects of their British identity and generating wider opportunities for their people.
	Our strategy for the Territories is based oh three practical policy goals:
	to strengthen the engagement and interaction between the UK and the Territories;
	to work with Territories to strengthen good governance arrangements, public financial management and economic planning where this is necessary; and
	to improve the quality and range of support available to the Territories.
	We announced specific plans to :
	support the exchange of expertise between UK and Territory public servants through a Jubilee Programme supporting training and work placements;
	support the Territories to engage productively with the wider world, particularly the EU and the Commonwealth;
	From this year we will upgrade the annual ministerial meeting with Territory leaders to give it a mandate to lead work to review and implement the commitments in the White Paper.

Correspondence

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average time taken was by his Department to reply to correspondence from hon. Members and Peers in the last 12 months; and for what proportion of letters the time taken to send a response was longer than (a) one month, (b) six weeks, (c) two months, (d) three months and (e) six months in that period.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) aims to respond to correspondence received from hon. Members and Peers in 20 working days, as specified by guidance issued by the Cabinet Office available at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/guide-handling-gov-correspondence.pdf
	Our correspondence database is designed to record our ability to meet this deadline and between August 2011 and July 2012 the FCO answered 91.5% of 9,957 MP and Peer letters within this timeframe.
	Because our system is designed to measure our effectiveness on the Cabinet Office guideline, to give a further breakdown on other specified dates would incur a disproportionate cost.
	The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members' and Peers' correspondence. The report for 2011 was published on 15 March 2012, Official Report, columns 31-33WS.

Cultural Relations

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote the UK to London-based international media.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is in daily contact with London-based foreign journalists on behalf of our department and others across Whitehall. They are invited to ministerial and official briefings on a range of policy areas, which can include the promotion of the UK as a place to visit, do business and study. They are also invited to interview Ministers as and when appropriate. Recent interviews have included those on the Olympics and Paralympics, which have promoted the UK's ability to deliver large scale projects, the rights of disabled people and the UK as a great place to invest.

Euro 2012

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the number of British nationals who were arrested in (a) Poland and (b) Ukraine during the 2012 European Football Championship.

David Lidington: We are not aware of any arrests of British nationals in Poland and Ukraine during the 2012 UEFA European Football Championships.

European Union

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress his Department has made on the review of the balance of competences of the EU.

David Lidington: As set out in the Command Paper published on 12 July, the Government's review of the balance of competences will be a rolling programme of work across Whitehall. More detail on the publication of reports will be announced this autumn.

European Union

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects his Department's review of the balance of EU competencies to be published.

David Lidington: As set out in the Command Paper published on 12 July, the Government's review of the balance of competences will be a rolling programme of work across Whitehall. More detail on the publication of reports will be announced this autumn.

Iran

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent reports he has received on access to education by Baha'i students in Iran; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent reports he has received of raids and arrests on businesses run by Baha'i in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is aware of an apparent increase in harassment of Baha'is, particularly in Semnan, Iran, including the closure of businesses run by Baha'is and restricted access to education by Baha'i students. We continue to monitor Baha'i persecution in Iran and to condemn publicly the appalling treatment of this minority group. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, made a statement on 24 August condemning the harassment of Baha'is and other minority groups in Iran. We continue to call for Iran to respect the rights and freedoms of the Baha'i community and other minority groups and immediately to cease persecution of them.

Iran

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to increase international scrutiny of Iran's human rights record, and its treatment of religious communities such as the Baha'i and the Christian house churches; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to raise awareness of Iran's human rights record publicly and with our international partners, including the situation of religious minorities. There is already a strong international consensus on the need for Iran to improve its record as demonstrated by the support for the annual resolution at the UN General Assembly. We will work further to build support for this year's resolution and the work of the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran. We will encourage their continued monitoring of the situation of the Baha'is in Iran which is of grave concern to the UK Government. The UK has been at the forefront of EU efforts to tackle impunity for human rights violations with the imposition of restrictive measures against those responsible. We will continue to review and add to these measures with our EU partners.

Israel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of nuclear weapons in Israel.

Alistair Burt: We have regular discussions with the Government of Israel on a wide range of nuclear-related issues. Israel has not declared a nuclear weapons programme. We encourage Israel to sign up to the non-proliferation treaty and call on them to agree a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Middle East

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in the Israeli Government on that Government's response to the requirement in UNSC Resolution 1860 that it should reopen crossing points to Gaza.

Alistair Burt: In close co-ordination with our EU partners, we continue to press the Israeli Government to ease access restrictions on Gaza. As I saw when I visited in July 2011 the Israeli restrictions on movements of goods and people do tremendous damage to the economy and living standards of ordinary people in Gaza. The current situation fosters radicalisation and empowers Hamas, while punishing the ordinary people of Gaza. An improved economy is not only essential for the people of Gaza, but firmly in Israel's security interests.

Middle East

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on whether EU research funding has been granted to Israeli companies that operate in illegal settlements in each year since 2005.

Alistair Burt: We are strongly opposed to Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories: they are illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace. No UK public funds have gone in direct support of settlements. We understand that Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories received an EU contribution totalling 1.13 million Euros under the Fifth and Seventh Framework Programmes for Research, Development and Technological Development. We are following up with the European Commission to outline our concerns.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the government of Israel about the applications made to the Israeli High Court of Justice by the organisation Kfar Adumim calling for the Israeli Civil Administration to demolish the Jahalin School in Khan Al Ahmar; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: This issue was raised most recently by our ambassador to Israel and our Consul-General in Jerusalem when they called on Israel's Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Territories on 17 July.
	We have been informed that on 13 September, a panel of three judges of the Israeli High Court of Justice will hear the petition in order to reach a verdict, whether to accept the petition to demolish the school or to deny the petition.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the proposed demolition of homes in the Al-Bustan neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.

Alistair Burt: We have raised this issue with the Israeli Minister of Interior, the Israeli ambassador to the UK and the Municipality of Jerusalem.
	We are urging Israel to desist from the demolitions and evictions, which we consider to be contrary to Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law, harmful to the peace process, as well as causing unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians.

Russia

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Russian authorities on the House of Commons resolution of 7 March 2012 on Sergei Magnitsky.

David Lidington: We have concerns about the Magnitsky case and continue to make those concerns clear to Russia at the highest levels, noting the strong parliamentary and media interest in the case.
	In a meeting with the Russian ambassador on 3 September, I raised the continuing lack of progress in the investigation into Magnitsky's death and urged the Russian authorities to press forward with their investigation, and hold those responsible to account. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised the lack of progress in bringing those responsible to justice with Foreign Minister Lavrov when he visited Moscow at the end of May. The Prime Minister raised our concerns about the human rights situation in Russia with President Putin when they met in Downing street in August.

Russia

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings and correspondence his Department has had with the Home Department in connection with the death of Sergei Magnitsky in 2012 to date.

David Lidington: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials consulted Home Office officials this year as part of preparations for parliamentary debates which called for visa bans on those allegedly involved in Magnitsky's death. There has also been routine contact with the Home Office over correspondence and parliamentary questions relating to proposed visa bans over the Magnitsky case. During the Back-Bench debate on human rights and the death of Sergei Magnitsky on 7 March, the Government set out that foreign nationals from outside the European economic area (EEA) may only come to the UK if they satisfy the requirements of the immigration rules. Where there is independent, reliable and credible evidence that an individual has committed human rights abuses, the individual will not normally be permitted to enter the UK. The UK remains seriously concerned about the lack of progress in the investigation into Sergei Magnitsky's death, and has set out these concerns to the Russian authorities at the highest levels.

Syria

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the situation in Syria; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the House on 3 September 2011, Official Report, columns 59-68.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the proposed imposition of value added tax in the Turks and Caicos Islands; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: During the visit of the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North West Norfolk (Mr Bellingham), to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in June this year, the implementation of VAT was raised with him. It was also a topic for discussion during the recent visit to London by the leader of the Progressive National Party, Dr Ewing. We received copies of letters sent to the TCI Government on this subject, together with correspondence from members of the public.
	The British Government have consistently made it clear that the introduction of VAT is a decision for the TCI Government. We support their decision to introduce VAT on the basis of an assessment that it will provide a more stable, fairer and broader based system of revenue.
	The VAT Bill was signed into law by the Acting Governor on 18 July 2012.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements his Department made for monitoring the 9 November 2012 elections in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Mark Simmonds: The Turks and Caicos Islands Government are inviting, with our financial support, observers for the forthcoming elections. They have agreed with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (UK) to organise an observer mission including UK and regional monitors.

UK Membership of EU

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received calling for a referendum on the UK's continuing membership of the EU.

David Lidington: I receive regular representations from MPs and members of the public on all matters relating to the UK's relationship with the EU, including a referendum on membership.

United Arab Emirates

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has raised any concerns with the government of the United Arab Emirates on the treatment and care of UK citizens who are in custody in that country, either in prison or on remand, since May 2010.

Alistair Burt: When a British national raises concerns over their mistreatment in detention anywhere in the world, we will, with their permission, raise it with local authorities. We have done so in the United Arab Emirates.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Boxing

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much she plans to allocate to boxing in 2013.

Hugh Robertson: In the period 2009-13 the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) is receiving £4.5 million from Sport England to support grassroots sport. Sport England is currently assessing the plans put forward by the ABAE to maintain and increase grassroots participation in boxing over the period 2013-17. Its funding decisions will be made at the end of the year.
	The total UK Sport funding to support elite boxing in 2013 will depend on the investment the sport receives for the 2013-17 Rio 2016 cycle which will begin 1 April 2013. Boxing's funding for the London 2012 cycle, which totals £9,551,400, will continue until 31 March 2013. Final decisions on funding the Rio 2016 cycle will be made in December.

Broadband

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport with reference to her announcement on 20 August 2012 that it is the Government's ambition for the UK to have the fastest broadband of any major European country by 2015, which European countries does she consider to be major.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport considers countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain as being the major European nations which we compare ourselves with regarding broadband speed and other key performance indicators.

Broadband

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of households in urban areas that receive broadband speeds of less than 2 mbps as a consequence of being connected to telephone exchanges that are more than 5km away from their home.

Edward Vaizey: The Statistical Digest of Rural England 2012 estimated, using modelled distance data, that 5% of households in urban areas in England had no or slow broadband in 2010:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2012/06/12/pb13782-stats-digest-rural-england ( page 71)
	Ofcom published data for the percentage of premises receiving less than 2 Mbit/s for individual local authorities in summer 2011:
	http://maps.ofcom.org.uk/broadband/

Local Broadcasting

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what her future plans are for local television in Plymouth and Swansea;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the reasons why no bids were made to her Department for new local television stations in Plymouth and Swansea.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom may choose to re-advertise the licences for Plymouth and Swansea in a future round of licensing; this will depend on the overall demand by potential providers of local TV in those cities. Licences were advertised in locations where there had been expressions of interest and where there was good spectrum coverage and, ultimately, it is up to market participants to decide whether or not to bid. Ofcom will take a view on the timing and location of the next tranche, once the first licences have been awarded.

Olympic Games 2012: Overseas Visitors

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of foreign nationals who visited (a) London and (b) the UK to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Hugh Robertson: These statistics will be collated through the International Passenger Survey and published by the Office for National Statistics shortly. However, a regional breakdown will not be available for some time.

Olympic Games 2012: Tickets

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what London 2012 Olympics tickets were allocated to (a) Ministers, (b) politicians and (c) special advisers.

Hugh Robertson: In the autumn, the Government will publish a list of those dignitaries to whom, and events for which, it allocated tickets, the cost to Government of those tickets, and the number of staff who purchased tickets.

Public Libraries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what data on libraries her Department gathers on a regular basis.

Edward Vaizey: I refer the hon. Member for Barnsley Central to the answer I gave him on 5 September 2012, Official Report, column 349W.

Sports

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the uptake of less well-known sports following the London 2012 Olympics; and what (a) financial and (b) other assistance is being made available to groups and clubs to assist with this.

Hugh Robertson: Recognising the opportunity of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote participation in sport, Sport England has, for the first time, invested in all Olympic and Paralympic sports to maintain and increase grassroots participation between 2009 and 2013. This Exchequer and national lottery investment is made through the sports' national governing bodies. Many of these organisations have reported a surge in interest since the London 2012 Olympic Games got under way. Official figures on sports participation levels will be available in December when the Active People Survey results for the period are published.
	Other financial assistance is being offered to grassroots sports groups and clubs via Sport England's legacy programme Places, People, Play, including the inspired Facilities fund which is currently accepting bids from sports groups to improve local sports facilities, in additional to financial assistance, the Club Leaders programme is providing free training and support to those doing the day-to-day running of community sports groups, helping to create an economically sustainable and enterprising club network.

Sports: Disability

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the proposed budget is for Paralympic Sport in each of the next four years.

Hugh Robertson: Final funding decisions will be made by UK Sport in December. UK Sport cannot speculate on the future funding of paralympic sports at this stage, but the total funding available will depend on the investment each sport receives for the 2013-17 Rio 2016 cycle. Planning for this cycle is already well under way and every sport is being given the opportunity to make its case.

HEALTH

Abortion

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many repeat abortions there were on women aged (a) under 20, (b) 20 to 24, (c) 25 to 29, (d) 30 to 34 and (e) 35 years old and over resident in each primary care trust area in England in the last year for which figures are available.

Daniel Poulter: The available information has been placed in the Library.

Ambulance Services

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance stations were closed in (a) England and Wales, (b) the east midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency in each of the last three years.

Anna Soubry: This information is not centrally collected. The management of ambulance estates is a matter for individual ambulance trusts.

Ambulance Services

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulances were involved in road accidents in each of the last 10 years.

Anna Soubry: This information is not centrally collected. Individual ambulance trusts may keep records of accidents involving ambulances.

Ambulance Services

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance drivers were prosecuted for dangerous driving while on duty in each of the last 10 years.

Anna Soubry: This information is not centrally collected. Individual ambulance trusts may keep records of any prosecutions of their staff for dangerous driving while on duty.

Apprentices

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many apprentices were employed by (a) his Department, (b) its principal contractors and (c) the NHS in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: The Department has employed three external apprentices over the past five years. They joined the Department in February 2010 and, on 3 January 2012, they became permanent members of staff, on completion of their apprenticeships.
	Of the Department's current principal contractors, EMCOR (the Department's facilities management provider) had one apprentice during both 2010 and 2011 but has none at present. The Department's catering provider Quadrant had one apprentice during 2010 but also has none currently. Information on apprenticeships with other current and previous contractors is not available.
	The national health service is now one of the largest public sector employers of apprenticeships and one of the top three employers of apprentices in the country. It has the biggest range (80 plus) of apprenticeship frameworks of any national employer. Over the last few years, the rapid expansion in apprenticeships across the wider economy has been mirrored in the NHS. This increase has been delivered through the Department's investment of £25 million in 2009-210 and a further £10 million in 2010-11. The numbers of NHS apprenticeships commissions were:
	2008-09: 1,300
	2009-10: 8,167
	2010-11: 9,547.
	Although there is no allocated central funding for this policy, strategic health authorities had 10,313 apprentices in training in 2011-12.
	Contained in these figures is the number of current NHS staff who have begun to undertake an apprenticeship programme as well as new start apprentices who are entering into employment within the NHS.

Breast Cancer

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that older breast cancer patients (a) receive a personalised, written care plan, (b) have their individual physical, psychological, social and financial needs assessed regularly as part of their care and (c) are offered appropriate support and treatment to address their needs in relation to their body image.

Norman Lamb: Through the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) we are working to ensure that all cancer survivors, including older breast cancer patients, get the care and support they need to lead as healthy a life as possible for as long as possible. The NCSI Assessment and Care Planning workstream has been looking at how best to ensure that survivors needs are identified and plans put in place to meet them from an early stage. Having a needs assessment during and at the end of treatment helps to identify issues and allows a personalised care plan to be developed in partnership with the cancer survivor.
	The care plan is ‘owned by’ the cancer survivor and can cover a range of topics such as planned surveillance and follow-up care; the symptoms of possible reoccurrence and consequences of treatment; signposting to support groups and local services; lifestyle advice around diet and exercise; psychological support; and work and finance concerns.
	Over the past two years, the NSCI and NHS Improvement have been piloting the Assessment and Care Planning process, as well as other survivorship models of care, across a number of sites in England. The evidence gathered will inform the NCSI's future recommendations for commissioning cancer services to support the care, advice and information heeds of people living with and beyond cancer.

Caesarean Sections

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much NHS funding was provided for caesarean operations in each of the last five years; and what the funding will be in each year until 2015.

Anna Soubry: Funding is currently allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. These revenue allocations are not broken down by service or policy area. It is for PCTs to commission services to meet the health care needs of their local populations, taking account of local and national priorities.
	The allocation of resources to clinical commissioning groups from April 2013 are a matter for the NHS Commissioning Board.

Care Quality Commission

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many hours were spent by staff in the Care Quality Commission on staff forum duties in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse was of the provision of a staff forum in the Care Quality Commission in the last year for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has informed the Department that, from October 2011 to September 2012, 478.50 hours were spent by staff on staff forum duties. Within the same period, management time spent on staff forum duties amounted to 147.50 hours.
	The staff cost of the forum from October 2011 to September 2012 is £9,827.15.
	The management cost of the staff forum from October 2011 to September 2012 is £5,595.57.

Chiropody

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of including toenail clipping within chiropody services as part of preventative care and public health measures.

Norman Lamb: No assessment has been made centrally. It is for local health and care organisations to commission services to meet the needs of their communities including the provision of chiropody and other foot care services. Most toenail cutting can be safely delivered by family members or by the voluntary or private sector, with the necessity for chiropodist led services being limited to those with clearly defined clinical needs, for example diabetes.

Circumcision

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many male circumcisions were performed on the NHS in each of the last five years; what the ages were of these patients; and what the total cost to the public purse was in each such year.

Anna Soubry: Information on the cost of male circumcisions performed in the national health service is not available. Such information as is available is in the following table:
	
		
			 Count of finished consultant episodes(1) with a primary or secondary procedure(2) of Circumcision (N30.3) by age from 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			 Age at start of episode 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Less than 1 year 676 783 1,016 1,124 870 
			 1 684 701 694 745 697 
			 2 672 686 731 697 584 
			 3 985 1,056 1,060 1,042 896 
			 4 1,088 1,118 1,094 1,013 936 
			 5 987 1,141 992 1,032 910 
			 6 1,083 1,020 948 912 862 
			 7 1,052 1,021 926 866 802 
			 8 936 934 927 872 755 
			 9 771 882 829 779 719 
			 10 726 811 761 728 736 
			 11 632 640 661 676 615 
			 12 519 552 531 504 508 
			 13 352 387 381 409 368 
			 14 261 288 249 303 264 
			 15 197 217 294 304 294 
			 16 284 320 344 439 362 
			 17 341 415 419 467 426 
			 18 353 404 485 449 499 
			 19 384 436 471 446 458 
			 20 363 431 457 470 489 
			 21 403 413 426 421 470 
			 22 333 387 388 430 429 
			 23 342 371 363 389 432 
			 24 348 355 389 350 399 
			 25 305 336 340 332 378 
			 26 329 334 344 323 319 
			 27 295 368 322 335 337 
			 28 262 305 302 340 301 
			 29 257 298 288 307 301 
			 30 239 247 261 298 286 
			 31 254 288 292 227 300 
			 32 255 280 259 253 256 
			 33 240 270 241 245 244 
			 34 258 276 230 246 228 
			 35 269 289 288 246 247 
			 36 269 291 257 289 268 
			 37 284 274 292 280 239 
			 38 258 299 274 306 247 
			 39 310 287 283 265 284 
			 40 222 277 288 277 295 
			 41 258 280 275 269 302 
			 42 256 260 257 277 278 
			 43 250 266 280 278 298 
			 44 255 266 294 286 305 
			 45 248 246 293 298 291 
			 46 234 285 259 283 292 
			 47 233 262 268 288 297 
			 48 225 242 219 277 313 
			 49 213 236 229 263 306 
			 50 192 208 233 278 290 
			 51 200 205 210 260 268 
			 52 218 203 238 248 237 
			 53 190 236 210 230 248 
			 54 192 206 217 200 256 
			 55 194 213 244 237 212 
			 56 189 208 194 235 261 
		
	
	
		
			 57 208 203 228 204 237 
			 58 190 183 215 222 208 
			 59 194 199 200 196 224 
			 60 195 227 194 215 200 
			 61 163 193 216 223 216 
			 62 183 165 205 240 249 
			 63 152 190 187 232 232 
			 64 159 203 196 204 212 
			 65 165 184 199 193 212 
			 66 166 160 173 177 199 
			 67 177 169 168 217 205 
			 68 171 175 176 180 185 
			 69 153 189 172 179 188 
			 70 years and over 2,217 2,500 2,600 2,685 2,811 
			 Unknown 23 25 106 100 159 
			 Yearly total 27,141 29,275 29,552 30,110 29,501 
			 (1) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. (2) The number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 (12 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and four prior to 2002-03) procedure fields in a HES record. A record is only included once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one procedure field of the record. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Health and Social Care Information Centre

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change there has been in the number of places of safety as defined in the Mental Health Act 1983 available since July 2011; and what steps he has taken since that date to ensure that people detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 are taken to an appropriate place of safety.

Norman Lamb: The Mental Health Act 1983 defines a wide range of places that could act as a place of safety. The Department does not collect information on the number of places that have been or could be used for this purpose. Uses of hospital-based places of safety increased from 12,038 in 2009-10 to 14,111 in 2010-11. The Department issued the Code of Practice Mental Health Act 1983 in 2008. National protocols developed by the National Policing Improvement Agency were issued in 2010. They were endorsed by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Department of Health. The Royal College of Psychiatrists issued their most recent standards on the use of section 136 of the Mental Health Act in July 2011. Since then there has been no further guidance on this topic.

Diabetes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) diabetes and (b) the role of diabetic specialist nurses were discussed at the informal Health Council on 10-11 July 2012.

Norman Lamb: There was no discussion of diabetes or diabetic specialist nurses at the informal Health Council of 10-11 July2012.

Diabetes: Leicester

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for diabetes were given in Leicester City primary care trust area in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012 to date.

Norman Lamb: The number of prescription items written in the Leicester City primary care trust area and dispensed in the community in the United Kingdom in the period requested for drugs classified as drugs used in diabetes in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 6.1. is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of items prescribed in Leicester City primary care trust and dispensed in the UK for drugs used in diabetes 
			  Items 
			 2009 325,438 
			 2010 361,243 
			 2011 387,927 
			 2012 (Q1 and Q2) 198,240 
			 Notes: 1. Please note that 2012 quarter 1 and quarter 2 covers 1 January to 30 June 2012, which is the latest data available. Other years are full calendar years from 1 January to 31 December. 2. ePACT Data—This information was obtained from the Prescribing Analysis and CosT tool (PACT) system, which covers prescriptions prescribed by GPs, nurses, pharmacists and others in England and dispensed in the community in the UK. For data at PCT level, prescriptions written by a prescriber located in a particular PCT but dispensed outside that PCT will be included in the PCT in which the prescriber is based. 3. Prescriptions written in England but dispensed outside England are included. Prescriptions written in hospitals/clinics that are dispensed in the community, prescriptions dispensed in hospitals, dental prescribing and private prescriptions are not included in PACT data. It is important to note this as some BNF sections have a high proportion of prescriptions written in hospitals that are dispensed in the community. 4. Prescription Items—Prescriptions are written on a prescription form known as a FP10. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item. 5. BNF Classifications—The Prescription Cost Analysis system uses the therapeutic classifications defined in the British National Formulary (BNF). No information on why a drug is prescribed is available and since drugs can be prescribed to treat more than one condition it is impossible to separate the different conditions that a drug was prescribed for. Source: ePACT data

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost is of an unplanned emergency mental health hospital admission in the East London NHS Foundation Trust for each night of stay.

Anna Soubry: This is a matter for the East London NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to the Trust's chair, Baroness Molly Meacher, informing her of your enquiry. She will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Food Standards Agency

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many hours were spent by staff in the Food Standards Agency on staff consultation groups or staff fora in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse was of the provision of staff consultation groups or staff fora in the Food Standards Agency in the last year for which figures are available.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Food Standards Agency.

Food: Labelling

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on how many of the 10 largest restaurant and pub owning companies have agreed to provide calorie information on menus.

Daniel Poulter: Of the top ten largest restaurant and pub owning companies, as measured by numbers of outlets, the following companies are signed up to the out of home calorie labelling pledge:
	Burger King United Kingdom Ltd
	KFC UKI
	McDonald's Restaurants Ltd
	Pizza Hut (UK) Ltd
	Subway International BV.

Gender Recognition

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated for gender dysphoria in each of the last five years; what the ages of these patients were; and what the total cost to the public purse was in each such year.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not centrally collect this information.
	The commissioning of gender identity services is currently the responsibility of primary care trusts (PCTs). PCTs are being abolished and, following the passing of the Health and Social Care Act 2012; the NHS Commissioning Board Authority is now responsible for the transition of specialised commissioning, including gender identity services. From April 2013, the NHS Commissioning Board will come fully into being and we anticipate that it will commission and fund gender identity services.

General Practitioners

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what arrangements govern the outer practice boundary areas for GP patients;
	(2)  what discussions his Department has had with GP surgeries about extending practice boundary areas.

Anna Soubry: As part of the general practitioner (GP) contract agreement reached with the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association last year, GP practices should agree with their primary care trust an outer practice boundary area where they will retain, where clinically appropriate, existing patients who have moved house in the outer boundary area. In addition, following a consultation on opening up choice of GP practice and discussions with the British Medical Association, we are piloting new models of accessing GP practices in areas of central London, Nottingham, Manchester and Salford. In these areas, patients who live outside the practice boundary area may register with a GP practice participating in the pilot or visit the practice for a consultation without registering.

General Practitioners

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for a GP appointment in (a) Gloucester, (b) the South West and (c) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry: The GP Patient Survey asks patients about their experiences of general practitioner (GP) services. The latest results were published on 14 June 2012. No information is collected on the average time patients have to wait for a GP appointment. Results relating to waiting in surgeries prior to GP appointments are as follows:
	
		
			 How long after your appointment time do you normally wait to be seen? 
			 Percentage 
			  South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT) Gloucestershire PCT South West SHA National 
			 I don't normally have appointments at a particular time 4 3 4 3 
			 Less than 5 minutes 8 10 10 10 
			 5-15 minutes 59 61 59 58 
			 More than 15 minutes 24 22 23 24 
			 Can't remember 4 4 4 4 
		
	
	Full results can be found on the GP Patient Survey website:
	www.gp-patient.co.uk/results/

Health Education

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on mass media public health campaigns in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: The following table shows spend figures for mass media public health campaigns in each of the last five years:
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Campaigns 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Alcohol 0.61 4.77 4.65 — 0.98 
			 Antibiotics 0.39 1.15 — — — 
			 Children's Health/Pregnancy — — — 0.40 — 
			 Cancer—Lung — — — — 0.59 
			 Cancer—Bowel — — — — 3.17 
			 Child Immunisation — 0.29 — — — 
			 Dementia — — — — 1.63 
			 Drugs Advertising and FRANK (Share with Home Office) 0.67 1.45 1.66 — — 
			 Flu Immunisation 0.98 1.45 0.81 — — 
			 Hepatitis C 1.34 1.30 1.39 — — 
			 HPV Vaccination — 2.80 4.07 — — 
			 National Dementia Strategy — — 1.67 0.59  
			 Obesity/Change4Life — 7.69 16.16 1.32 2.07 
			 Pandemic Flu — — 11.24 — — 
			 Respiratory and Hand Hygiene 0.32 1.53 2.63 0.80 — 
			 Sexual Health Awareness 3.11 2.83 8.16 — — 
			 Smoking—Tobacco Control 16.17 23.38 24.91 0.46 3.16 
			 Stroke Awareness — 4.52 2.45 0.54 0.80 
		
	
	Figures are net plus agency fees and commissions (rounded to nearest £10,000). Figures exclude VAT and Central Office of Information fees.

Heart Diseases and Strokes

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects the NHS Commissioning Board to publish its recommendations on the future of cardiac and stroke networks;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that the NHS Commissioning Board provides adequate funding and support for cardiac and stroke networks beyond 2013;
	(3)  whether the NHS Commissioning Board plans to establish existing cardiac and stroke networks as strategic clinical networks.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the NHS Commissioning Board Special Health Authority plans to publish its recommendations on the future of cardiac and stroke networks.

Anna Soubry: The NHS Commissioning Board Special Health Authority's plans to establish a small number of national strategic clinical networks to improve health services for specific patient groups or conditions were set out in “The Way Forward: Strategic clinical networks”, published on 26 July 2012. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
	Strategic clinical networks, hosted and funded by the NHS Commissioning Board, will cover patient groups or conditions where improvements can be made through an integrated, whole system approach. The networks will help local commissioners of national health service care to reduce unwarranted variation in services and encourage innovation.
	The conditions chosen for the first strategic clinical networks are:
	cancer;
	cardiovascular disease (including cardiac, stroke, diabetes and renal disease);
	maternity and children; and
	mental health, dementia and neurological conditions.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will determine levels of funding and the arrangements for supporting strategic clinical networks.

Heart Diseases: Children

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children had heart attacks by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) location in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: The following tables provide figures of the number of finished admission episodes (FAEs) for children aged 17 or under with a primary or secondary diagnosis of heart attack, by age, gender and strategic health authority (SHA) of residence for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11.
	These data are not a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion within the year. The table includes episodes classified as acute myocardial infarction or subsequent myocardial infarction.
	
		
			 Count of finished admission episodes (FAEs)(1) for patients aged under 18 with a primary or secondary diagnosis of heart attack(2) by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) SHA of residence(3 )for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11(4): Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			 Age group 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 0 7 11 12 9 3 
			 1 — 1 — — 1 
		
	
	
		
			 2 — 1 — — — 
			 3 — 1 — — — 
			 4 — — — — — 
			 5 — 1 — 2 — 
			 6 — 1 — 1 — 
			 7 1 — 1 1 — 
			 8 — — — 1 1 
			 9 — — — — — 
			 10 — — — — — 
			 11 — — — — — 
			 12 — — — 1 — 
			 13 1 — 1 — — 
			 14 1 — — 1 4 
			 15 — — — — — 
			 16 3 2 1 1 2 
			 17 4 5 3 2 4 
		
	
	
		
			 Gender 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Male 11 14 14 10 13 
			 Female 6 9 4 9 2 
		
	
	
		
			 Strategic health authority of residence 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Q30—North East SHA — — 1 1 — 
			 Q31—North West SHA 2 3 2 2 3 
			 Q32—Yorkshire and the Humber SHA — 3 4 3 2 
			 Q33—East Midlands SHA 3 1 1 2 1 
			 Q34—West Midlands SHA 3 1 1 2 1 
			 Q35—East of England SHA — 4 4 1 3 
			 Q36—London SHA 8 3 1 1 3 
			 Q37—South East Coast SHA — 4 3 2 1 
			 Q38—South Central SHA — — — 3 1 
			 Q39—South West SHA 1 1 1 1 — 
			 X—Foreign (incl. Isle of Man and Channel Islands) — 2 — 1 — 
			 Y—Unknown — 1 — — — 
			 (1) Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2) Number of episodes in which the patient had a (named) primary or secondary diagnosis The number of episodes where this diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once, even if the diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. ICD-10 Codes used: I21—Acute myocardial infarction I22—Subsequent myocardial infarction (3) SHA/PCT of residence The strategic health authority (SHA) or primary care trust (PCT) containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. (4) Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Activity included Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Hormone Treatments: Males

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men of each (a) ethnicity and (b) age were treated for a hormonal imbalance in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not collect data in the form requested. However, the Department does collect data on a range of conditions which could fall under the umbrella term “hormonal imbalance”. If the hon. Member would like information on any specific condition then it may be possible to provide data to support her inquiry.

Licensing

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what permits and licences his Department and its public bodies issue to businesses.

Anna Soubry: The Department does not issue licences or permits.
	Six of the Department's 19 public bodies issue permits and/or licences to businesses, as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Arm’s length bodies Permits issued to businesses Licences issued to businesses 
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Nil The authority grants licences described in section 11 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended), which broadly cover fertility treatment, the storage of human gametes and embryos and the use of human embryos in research 
			    
			 NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement Nil Licences to sell and deliver Productive General Practice 
			   Licences to sell and deliver all Productives (excluding Productive General Practice), Organising for Quality and Value, ThinkGlucose 
			   Licence to use Productive series materials in e-learning modules 
			   Licence for the development and commercialisation rights in the Scenario Generator 
			   NHS Institute Worldwide licences (placed in the Library as separate Annex) 
			    
			 Human Tissue Authority Nil Tissue for Patient treatment 
			   Anatomy 
			   Post Mortem 
			   Public Display 
			   Research 
			   ODD 
			    
			 The Health and Social Care Information Centre Nil Data Sharing Agreements 
			   Data Re-use Agreements 
			    
			 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Good Laboratory Practice Traditional herbal registrations 
			  Good Distribution Process Homeopathic registrations 
			  Good Clinical Practice Marketing authorisations 
			  GPhVP(1) certificates Parallel import licences 
			  Export certificates Wholesale dealer licences 
			  Blood Establishment Authorisation Manufacturers Licences 
			  Clinical trials authorisation Good manufacturing practice 
			    
			 NHS Blood and Transplant Nil Licence to use RUM-1 anti-D blood grouping diagnostic reagent 
			   Licence to use MAD-2 anti-D blood grouping diagnostic reagent 
			   Licence to use BRIC 8 anti-C3d blood grouping diagnostic reagent 
			   Licence to use BIRMA-1 anti-A blood grouping diagnostic reagent 
			   Licence to use BIRMA 17c anti-CD66 markers on stem cells and white blood cells to characterise cell types during stem cell harvesting and processing 
			   Licence to use BIRMA-K3 anti-CD34 markers on stem cells and white blood cells to characterise cell types during stem cell harvesting and processing 
			   Licence to use 5B12 anti-CD41 markers on stem cells and white blood cells to characterise cell types during stem cell harvesting and processing 
			   Licence to use Pulse Blood Supply. Management System (software)(2) 
			 (1) Good pharmacovigilance practice (2) This is licensed to the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and the Isle of Man Blood Service. Both are national blood services rather than businesses in the normally understood sense.

Low Birthweight Babies

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an assessment at ward level of the incidence of low birthweights around industrial sites which emit gases.

Daniel Poulter: The Department has made no such assessment.
	The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has assessed the impact on health of emissions to air from municipal waste incinerators. The agency concluded that modern, well managed incinerators make only a small contribution to local concentrations of air pollutants. It stated that it is possible that such small additions could have an impact on health but such effects, if they exist, are likely to be very small and not detectable.
	The HPA has also considered the impact on health of emissions from landfill sites. It concluded that a well-managed modern landfill site does not pose a significant risk to human health.
	Both documents can be found on the HPA's website at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1251473372218
	www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1309969974126

Mental Health Services: Telephone Services

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which NHS mental health services have introduced a telephone crisis service; and what assessment his Department has made of the extent to which unplanned emergency mental health hospital admissions can be avoided through the provision of such a service;
	(2)  if his Department will make an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of providing a telephone mental health crisis service as a means of avoiding emergency mental health admissions.

Norman Lamb: We do not collect these figures centrally. We have not assessed the effect telephone crisis services have on the amount of emergency hospital admissions, nor their cost-effectiveness.
	The purpose of crisis resolution home treatment services is to provide treatment to mentally ill patients in order to prevent hospital admission. The criteria for crisis teams is to be available to respond 24 hours, seven days a week. Teams work as part of a mental health system and should pick up all appropriate cases within the primary care trust. People known to services should be supplied with emergency access numbers to call in a crisis.

Midwives

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the recent findings by the Care Quality Commission, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all hospitals have the sufficient number of midwifery staff to provide women with good quality care during childbirth.

Daniel Poulter: The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that we have the right number of trained midwives, especially given the increased numbers and complexity of births in recent years. Women should receive personalised maternity care focusing on the best outcomes for women and their babies, and the woman's experience of care.
	The number of midwives in the NHS has increased by 922 between May 2010 and May 2012. We are keeping training numbers at a record high, with 2,484 places available in 2011-12, and 2,578 places planned for 2012-13. There are currently around 5,000 midwives in training.
	It is the responsibility of local hospitals and other national health service organisations to plan and deliver a workforce appropriate to the needs of their local population, based on clinical need and sound evidence.

NHS Commissioning Board

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 760W, on health services, when the Clinical Advisory Group analysing the specialised services national definition set will recommend which services would be appropriate for direct commissioning by the NHS Commissioning Board; and when the final outcome will be announced.

Anna Soubry: Ministers are currently considering the recommendations made by the Clinical Advisory Group on the list of services that will be directly commissioned by the NHS Commissioning Board from April 2013. It is expected that Ministers will be in a position to make an announcement shortly.

NHS: Ancillary Staff

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent NHS healthcare assistants were employed in each London NHS trust (a) in cash terms and (b) at current prices (i) in total and (ii) per capita in (A) 2009-10, (B) 2010-11 and (C) 2011-12.

Daniel Poulter: Information on the cost of employing national health service staff is not held centrally. The following table provides information on the number of full time equivalent NHS healthcare assistants employed by each organisation within the London strategic health authority area as at 30 September in each of the years 2009, 2010 and 2011.
	
		
			 NHS hospital and community health services: health care assistant(1) in the London strategic health authority area by organisation as at 30 September each specified year 
			 Full time equivalent 
			   2009 2010 2011 
			 London strategic health authority area  6,503 6,827 7,215 
			      
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 5C2 5 6 6 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust RF4 553 595 589 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust RVL 10 14 328 
			 Barnet PCT 5A9 16 31 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust RRP 322 291 306 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust RNJ 5 4 26 
			 Bexley Care Trust TAK 19 0 0 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 5K5 54 56 0 
			 Bromley PCT 5A7 141 98 31 
			 Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust TAF 50 51 40 
			 Camden PCT 5K7 27 27 73 
			 Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust RV3 45 39 31 
			 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RQM 151 163 161 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 5C3 9 9 4 
			 Croydon Health Services NHS Trust RJ6 0 2 2 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust RC3 154 154 198 
			 Ealing PCT 5HX 2 2 0 
			 Enfield PCT 5C1 44 27 1 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust RVR 202 203 203 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust RP4 113 120 113 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 5A8 38 31 0 
			 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust RJ1 134 272 364 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 5C9 5 1 0 
			 Harrow PCT 5K6 1 1 0 
			 Havering PCT 5A4 59 67 45 
			 Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust RAS 267 251 261 
			 Hillingdon PCT 5AT 33 41 34 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RQX 139 140 136 
			 Hounslow PCT 5HY 18 0 0 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust RYJ 332 385 430 
			 Islington PCT 5K8 28 24 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 5LA 23 4 0 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RJZ 411 432 439 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust RAX 183 191 188 
			 Lambeth PCT 5LD 26 33 0 
			 Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust RJ2 143 185 174 
			 Lewisham PCT 5LF 0 0 8 
			 London Strategic Health Authority Q36 0 0 3 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust RNH 5 31 7 
			 North East London NHS Foundation Trust RAT 0 22 177 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust RAP 36 2 2 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust RV8 282 272 286 
			 Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust RPG 0 16 20 
			 Redbridge PCT 5NA 2 2 1 
		
	
	
		
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 5M6 27 46 52 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust RT3 63 84 90 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust RAL 209 253 275 
			 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust RPY 23 31 69 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust RAN 73 86 102 
			 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust RV5 81 84 74 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust RYQ 594 562 541 
			 South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust RQY 366 337 284 
			 Southwark PCT 5LE 0 43 0 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust RJ7 335 347 331 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 5M7 0 0 4 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 5C4 9 26 0 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust RRV 351 349 400 
			 West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust RFW 135 141 117 
			 Westminster PCT 5LC 5 0 0 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust RGC 4 6 6 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust RKE 141 137 182 
			 (1) Health care assistants are defined as those staff included in the Non-Medical Workforce Census with the H1 occupation code. Further information about staff coding can be found here: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/data-collections/information-supporting-our-data-collections Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Notes: 1. Full time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. 2012 Annual Census data is not yet available, and is due to be published in spring 2013. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census

NHS: Telephone Services

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will provide information to consumers on steps to avoid high charges of calling NHS customer helplines from mobile telephones.

Anna Soubry: The Department published Directions to the national health service in December 2009 and issued further guidance on 23 February 2012 on the cost of telephone calls. These Directions and guidance prohibit the use of telephone numbers which charge people more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact any part of the NHS from landlines and mobile telephones. Where NHS bodies are charging people more, all reasonable steps should be taken to rectify this. It is for primary care trusts to ensure that local practices are compliant with the Directions and guidance.

Obesity: Surgery

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had weight loss surgery in each region in each of the last two years of each (a) age, (b) gender and (c) ethnicity.

Daniel Poulter: The NHS Information Centre has provided a count of the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a primary diagnosis of obesity and a main or secondary procedure of bariatric surgery, by age, gender, ethnic category and strategic health authority of residence for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	This information has been placed in the Library.

Organs: Donors

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England and Wales died in (i) 2005, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2009 and (iv) 2011 because an organ for transplant was not available; what steps he is taking to increase the levels of organ donation; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested on deaths on the organ transplant waiting list for 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011 is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Area 2005 2007 2009 2011 
			 Barnsley Central 2 0 0 0 
			 South Yorkshire 11 9 8 7 
			 England and Wales 438 471 491 440 
			 Source: NHS Blood and Transplant 
		
	
	The Government have supported a number of initiatives to encourage people to add their name to the organ donation register (ODR) or to agree donation. Much of this work is led by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) in conjunction with a number of partners. For example, people may sign up to the ODR when they register with a new general practitioner, when applying for a new passport, when applying for a European Health Insurance Card and when applying for a Boots advantage card.
	We have also established a prompted choice scheme/ working in partnership with the Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, which requires people applying for a driving licence on-line to answer a question about organ donation.
	There are now over 200 highly trained specialist nurses for organ donation based in hospitals across the country. Clinical leads for organ donation have also been appointed in every acute hospital working closely with hospital organ donation committees to increase donation rates.
	Due to the challenges of recruiting donors from some communities, we have also set up the National Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Transplant Alliance to increase numbers of black, Asian and minority ethnic people on bone marrow and whole organ registers and who consent to donate. It attempts to do so by raising awareness of inequalities and promoting the importance of transplantation.

Ovarian Cancer

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and to encourage women to visit their GP if they are concerned that they may have the disease;
	(2)  what support his Department provides to GPs to ensure that they have access to the tests necessary to diagnose ovarian cancer in its early stages;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with cancer receive appropriate post-treatment care and support;
	(4)  what steps his Department has taken to improve the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Norman Lamb: On 12 January 2011, we published “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, which sets out how the Government have committed over £450 million over the following four years to support earlier diagnosis of cancer. This money is being used to raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer; fund increased general practitioner (GP) access to diagnostic tests; and pay for more testing and treatment in secondary care. One of the tests we are increasing access to is non-obstetric ultrasound to support the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and we have now published best practice referral guidelines for GPs on how to access this test.
	The strategy also set out our commitment to work with a number of rarer cancer-focused charities to assess what more can be done to encourage appropriate referrals to secondary care and to diagnose rarer cancers earlier. Further work has been undertaken with a number of these charities, including those concerned with ovarian cancer, with the aim of identifying some of the barriers to early diagnosis and to discuss potential solutions.
	As a result, we are hoping to pilot a more general symptom awareness campaign later this year. In addition, in July 2012, we announced that we would trial a specific ovarian cancer signs and symptoms campaign in early 2013. We intend running local pilots in three different parts of the country and we will work with key stakeholders, including the ovarian cancer charities, to agree the key messages for the campaign. These campaigns will be evaluated to assess the potential for regional campaign activity and any subsequent national activity.
	Through the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) we are working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support to ensure that all cancer survivors get the care and support they need to lead as healthy a life as possible for as long as possible. Over the past two years, the NCSI has been working with NHS Improvement to prototype transformed pathways of care for adults and for children and young people in a small number of health communities. The evidence gathered will inform the NCSI's future recommendations for commissioning cancer services to support the care, advice and information needs of people living with and beyond cancer.

Plastic Surgery

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many procedures performed for the revision of scars were funded through the Restricted Treatments Funding Panel in (a) Devon primary care trust, (b) each primary care trust in the South West and (c) nationally.

Anna Soubry: The information requested is not held centrally.

Prescription Drugs

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions of (a) individual benzodiazepine drugs and (b) antidepressants were dispensed in 2011.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 Table 1: The number of benzodiazepine prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England in the year 2011, as classified as hypnotics and anxiolytics in British National Formulary (BNF) Section 4.1.1 and 4.1.2. 
			 BNF chemical name Prescription items (thousand) 
			 Alprazolam (1)— 
			 Chlordiazepoxide Hydrochloride 195.3 
			 Diazepam 5,219.6 
			 Flurazepam Hydrochloride (1)— 
			 Loprazolam Mesilate 78.6 
			 Lorazepam 989.8 
			 Lormetazepam 50.7 
			 Nitrazepam 956.5 
			 Oxazepam 163.2 
			 Temazepam 2,627.7 
			 Total for BNF Section 4.1(2) 10,281.4 
			 (1) Less than 50 prescription items dispensed. (2) Figures may not sum to total due to rounding. Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: The number of benzodiazepine prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England in the year 2011, as classified as antiepileptic drugs in British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.8.1 
			 BNF chemical name Prescriptions items (thousand) 
			 Clobazam 200.4 
			 Clonazepam 683.5 
			 Midazolam Hydrochloride 2.5 
			 Midazolam Maleate 37.7 
			 Total for BNF Section 4.8(1) 924.2 
			 (1) Figures may not sum to total due to rounding Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: The number of benzodiazepine prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England in the year 2011, as classified as anaesthesia drugs in British National Formulary (BNF) section 15.1.4 
			 BNF chemical name Prescription items (thousand) 
			 Midazolam Hydrochloride 102.4 
			 Total for BNF Section 15.1 102.4 
			 Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4: The number of antidepressant prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England in the year 2011, as classified as Antidepressant drugs in British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.3 
			 BNF chemical name Number of items (thousand) 
			 Antidepressant drugs 46,677.8 
			 Total for BNF Section 4.3 46,677.8 
			 Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system

Prescription Drugs: Misuse

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to answer to the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood of 6 December 2010, Official Report, column 80W, on departmental manpower, on what dates the Steering Group met to oversee the policy on addiction to prescribed medicine; who the attendees were at each of those meetings; what the present membership of the group is; and what future meetings the group has scheduled.

Daniel Poulter: The Department's steering group on addiction to medicine met on 18 August 2010, 1 February 2011 and 5 May 2011. Additional discussions took place between meetings, and since the most recent one, by correspondence. No face-to-face meetings are currently scheduled. The policy areas represented were as set out in the answer of 6 December 2010, Official Report, column 80W and the membership of the steering group by officials in the senior civil service has not changed. At the first meeting officials at grades below the senior civil service represented the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Primary Care Trusts

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total resource cost was of exit packages in each primary care trust area in 2011-12.

Anna Soubry: The information requested will be available in October 2012, once the Department's Annual Report and Accounts are laid before Parliament.

Prostate Cancer

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve diagnosis and treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer.

Norman Lamb: In 2008, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published the clinical guideline “Prostate cancer: diagnosis and treatment”. This sets out recommendations on the tests, treatment, care and support that men who have suspected or diagnosed prostate cancer should be offered, including those men who have advanced prostate cancer.
	To ensure that these recommendations continue to reflect the latest available evidence, NICE is currently updating this guideline. NICE is also developing a prostate cancer Quality Standard alongside the update of the clinical guideline. Quality Standards are a concise set of statements designed to drive and measure priority quality improvements within a particular area of care. They are derived from the best available evidence such as NICE guidance and other evidence sources accredited by NICE.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has allocated for research into spinal muscular atrophy in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Norman Lamb: Estimated spend by the Department's National Institute for Health Research on directly-funded research on spinal muscular atrophy is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2007-08 0.0 
			 2008-09 0.1 
			 2009-10 0.1 
		
	
	
		
			 2010-11 0.4 
			 2011-12 0.3

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of spinal muscular atrophy were diagnosed in each region in each of the last five years; and how many people died from spinal muscular atrophy in each region in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The NHS Information Centre for health and social care collects information on the number of people diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) following an admission to hospital. This is collected by strategic health authority (SHA) region. The data available do not include the number of people diagnosed with a condition, only the number of hospital episodes where a diagnosis is recorded.
	
		
			 Count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) for patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy by SHA of residence for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			 SHA name 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority 384 486 500 520 569 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority 1,067 1,271 1,374 1,509 1,533 
			 Yorkshire And The Humber Strategic Health Authority' 850 777 877 873 866 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority 742 678 678 841 782 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 697 666 647 832 984 
			 East Of England Strategic Health Authority 1,046 1,173 1,335 1,555 1,783 
			 London Strategic Health Authority 1,055 923 1,056 1,356 1,485 
			 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 609 596 669 652 684 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority 604 650 687 624 724 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority 819 896 1,062 1,084 1,133 
			 Notes: 1. Finished Consultant Episode (FCE)A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. 2. Number of episodes in which the patient had a (named) primary or secondary diagnosis The number of episodes where this diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once, even if the diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. ICD-10 Code used: G12.—Spinal muscular atrophy and related syndromes. 3. SHA/PCT of residenceThe SHA or primary care trust (PCT) containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. 4. Assessing growth through timeHES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. 5. Activity includedActivity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 6. Please note that these data should not be described as a count of people, as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre. 
		
	
	Information on the number of deaths from SMA is not collected centrally by the Department. However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) does have data on the number of deaths arising from SMA and related syndromes in England and Wales during 2010. More information can be found at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/mortality-statistics--deaths-registered-in-england-and-wales--series-dr-/2010/dr-tables-2010.xls

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made on achieving an agreed standard for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Department has referred for development a quality standard for relatively uncommon neurological problems including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in March 2012, following advice from the National Quality Board. The primary purpose of NICE quality standards is to make it clear what quality care is by providing patients, carers and the public, health and social care professionals, commissioners and service providers with definitions of high-quality health and social care.

Strokes

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what proportion of patients presenting with a transient ischaemic attack were assessed and treated within 24 hours in each stroke network in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  if he will estimate the proportion of stroke patients who spent 90 per cent of their time in a specialist stroke unit in each stroke network in the latest period for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry: The Department does not collect the information at stroke network level. However, information at primary care trust level has been placed in the Library. This provides information on Transient Ischaemic Attack cases with a higher risk of stroke who are treated within 24 hours and percentage of patients who spend at least 90 of their time on a stroke unit. The information is derived from Integrated Performance Measures.

Strokes

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to review implementation of the National Stroke Strategy across England against the framework of quality markers identified in the strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: Currently we have no plans to review implementation of the Stroke Strategy. The Stroke Strategy along with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) quality standards provide the framework for improving stroke services and we expect heath and social services to continue to implement them.
	The Department receives very significant, and independent information from various sources which alert us to both progress and issues. These sources include audit data from:
	the National Sentinel Stroke Audit and Stroke Improvement National Audit Programme (SINAP) conducted by the Royal College of Physicians;
	quarterly data on the stroke integrated performance measures.
	We are continuing the Accelerating Stroke Improvement Programme in 2012-13 to ensure that improvements continue to be made in line with the Stroke Strategy and NICE quality standards. We are also considering how best to build on the strategy in the development of the Cardiovascular Outcomes Strategy.

Thalidomide

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made in assessing the thalidomide grant pilot scheme;
	(2)  what recent assessment his Department has made of support from the NHS to Thalidomide survivors.

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the publication of “Looking to the Future, Evaluation of the Health Grant to Thalidomide Impaired People” in July 2012, what steps he is taking to provide financial assistance for Thalidomide survivors.

Norman Lamb: The Department provided £20 million over the three years 2010-11 to 2012-13 to the Thalidomide Trust to fund a pilot scheme in England to explore how the needs of Thalidomide survivors can best be met in the long term. The former Minister for Care Services, my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow), met with the Thalidomide Trust and members of the National Advisory Council on 12 June 2012. At that meeting he committed to making and sharing a decision on future funding in the autumn, following a thorough assessment of the evaluation report into the second year of the grant. The Department received the report on 11 July and departmental officials are currently carrying out that assessment.

Urinary System: Infectious Diseases

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many urinary tract infections were recorded in NHS hospitals in (a) England and (b) each NHS trust area in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of treating urinary tract infections in the last year for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry: Data on urinary tract infections (UTIs) are not collected in the format requested. However, data from the Hospital Episode Statistics database suggest that urinary tract infections have increased overall in the last five years from 167,918 consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis of UTI in 2006-07 to 245,478 consultant episodes in 2010-11, and currently form about 1% of all admissions in England. The relevant Hospital Episode Statistics are at:
	www.hesonline.nhs.uk/Ease/ContentServer?siteID=1937&categoryID=214
	The Plowman report, which was published in 1999, showed at that time the cost of treating a urinary tract infection in a national health service hospital was £1,122 per case. No more recent estimates have been made.

Urinary System: Infectious Diseases

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of urinary tract infections occurring in NHS hospitals.

Anna Soubry: The Government are encouraging health care organisations to focus on driving up quality, and reducing the harm from a number of common patient safety issues, including urinary tract infections, through the use of the NHS Safety Thermometer and incentive payments are provided if healthcare organisations collect and submit data using the NHS Safety Thermometer.
	The Government have also asked the Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections to consider further measures to improve infection prevention and control, in particular in relation to catheter use in intensive care units.